Note to self: newsmen should never run for elected office – ever. It took me a couple of months on the campaign trail and a few thousand dollars up in smoke to realize this axiom of American politics. But then, you can’t tell some folks like me anything. You have to live and learn. For you older folks, I should have taken a lesson from John Jay Hooker, former Nashville Banner owner who tried running for governor a couple of times and lost.

In case you aren’t getting it from my tone, I lost my election over in Warren County. Well, I didn’t just lose. I came in buck naked last, third out of three, back of the pack, trailing the field. I mean, had everyone who voted for me been allowed to vote twice I would have still lost by 200 votes. It was baaaaaad. A worst-case scenario. A real nightmare outcome. I should have stuck to writing, something I’m reasonably good at.

Let’s face it, I was the worst kind of candidate. Firstly, I’ve been a political agnostic for several years. I lost interest in politics back during the whole Clinton-Lewinski affair, when all the press could talk about was that mess, instead of focusing on things that mattered. I now avoid CNN, Fox News and any other national news coverage, focusing my television viewing on things like the Science, History and Weather Channels and especially ESPN.

I avoid political debates and discussions since, nowadays, they turn into arguments rather than a swapping of ideas and a discussion on how to make things better. People are just seething when they talk about politics, and that goes for both sides.

I tell my friends to simply give me a call or text if there are missiles inbound so I can duck and cover since I don’t want to waste brain cells wading through political opinionating to get my news.

Now don’t get me wrong, I always vote, whether I’m inspired by the candidates or appalled by them, as I was this last election. Yes. I didn’t like either choice so both Democrats and Republicans can hate on me. I’m not running for anything again. But, bottom line, I did vote and always will. Not because I’m political but because it is my duty. So many people have given their lives for my right to vote that I make sure to go cast a ballot every time the polls are open. I can’t say the same for voters this past week. They stayed away from the polls in record numbers. This was especially frustrating after I and many other candidates spent so much time and resources campaigning for office.

So what do I take away from my run at office? Politics is the worst type of gambling. You keep getting lured into betting more and more even when the odds are against you and then you’re left penniless and broken. And, unlike Vegas, there’s another hangover after it’s though: what are you going to do with all those signs? Politics. Bah humbug.

Contact Duane Sherrill at          
news@smithvillereview.com