Word got out a little sooner than planned. I have personally been working on this campaign since October of 2004. This consisted of talking with XMission staff, friends, and family about their views on politics and whether running was a good idea or not. In addition, I met with several active Democrats whom I am acquainted with to see how the party would react to an announcement from a relative outsider.
Overall, I received a positive reaction. What surprised me was the skepticism towards running for this office. Not that it was there, but how it matched the same skepticism I received when I started XMission. “You’re kidding me, right?”
Well it’s done. Through a couple of meetings with columnists and a promise for an exclusive, my candidacy broke on March 24th on the New West Website. It was followed by a Salt Lake Tribune article the next day and mention by LaVarr Webb in the Deseret News. Thanks also to the blogger shoutouts at Lynn the Clarkie and Ethan at SLCSpin. Thanks again to LaVarr Webb for his kind words on Monday.
Today on the 75th anniversary of my mother’s birth, I filed the “Statement of Organization” and the “Statement of Candidacy” with the FEC.