My Congressional Decision

As some of you may know, I have been considering running for Kentucky’s 6th District Congressional seat in 2016. It was an idea first brought to me to this past summer and has occupied a great deal of my time in the months since. I have taken the idea very seriously and spent the fall doing my homework, including learning in depth about what being a member of Congress and Congressional campaigns actually entail, the needs of the 6th district and the counties that are within it and the political landscape as a whole that I would be entering. I also have spoken at length with many in the Kentucky political realm on both sides of the aisle, all of whom have been generous with their insights and given me great advice on the subject. I spent time with family and friends to talk about the effect such a campaign would have on my personal life and that of those around me. And most importantly I listened to the people who helped make this entire scenario possible, our KSR fans who have been so kind throughout. This has actually been a wonderful process that has helped me learn a great deal that I will undoubtedly use in the future.

But after much consideration, I have decided not to pursue any office in 2016. The decision is more personal than it is political. Were I to have entered the race, it would have been winnable and a chance for me to put forth a platform that I think is desperately needed in this fractured political landscape. While I think now more than ever, a person who is willing to put aside political affiliations in order to actually work for the common good is needed, it just isn’t the right time in my life to do it. I am extremely proud of what we have built here at KSR and the amazing opportunity I get to have as a part of it daily. Every day I get a chance to get up, work with friends I love and try to entertain thousands of people about a topic we all share. The reality is that as of now, I cannot say I am ready to completely give it up.

At some point in the future, it is likely I will pursue public office. My interest and desire to enter into the political realm is strong and I do hope to at some point to be able to serve the public. However the time is not right for me at this moment. I am not yet 100% ready to turn the page on this segment of my life and while I am not sure total immersion into the political world is what our Founding Fathers intended for public office holders, it unfortunately is a reality of our current system. Running for office is a full-time job, a significant portion of which is the demeaning process of calling everyone you know and begging them for money (breathe easy friends, your wallets are safe now). I have too much love for my current job to completely step away, so I know my heart is not ready to shift gears entirely as running a successful campaign would demand. Rick Pitino left UK’s Camelot early in 1997 and ended up finding himself the Coach at UL. I would hate to make the same mistake and find a similar fate.

Thanks to everyone who spent time with me discussing this along the way. Your friendship and help is appreciated more than you know. Those that counseled me to run and helped get my political juices flowing, know there will be a day in the future to make it a reality. Today just isn’t that day. I look forward to getting back to business now and continuing to do what I love, while helping KSR grow to greater heights.

So with that out of the way, let’s get back to the pursuit of #9.