NEWATTITUDETM
THE CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE FOR HOME SCHOOL TEENS
This is Christy Farris reporting from the
campaign trail of Michael Paul Farris (my dad!) who is running
for lieutenant governor of Virginia. My duty as campaign reporter
is to give you the inside scoop on how a campaign is run and what
it’s like to be in the family of Mike Farris (it’s
pretty crazy!) So get ready for a wild ride as we plunge down
previously untraveled roads of politics.
Mike Farris is the president of Home School
Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and the father of eight
children (soon to be nine!) Many of you might ask, “What
makes a person want to run for office?” Who would be crazy
enough to work two full-time jobs — one that pays and one
that has you traveling all over the state kissing hands and
shaking babies? (Wait, that’s kissing babies and shaking
hands!)
For my dad, running for office has been a life-long
dream. He has seen the need for moral, uncompromising Christian
leadership in America. The last few years he has been seriously
considering running for office. Finally, he chose 1993 as the
year he should run. After seeking the Lord’s will and the
advice of many wise counselors, he decided to run for lieutenant
governor of Virginia.
He had a hard time deciding what to run for!
For a while we’d ask him, “So, what are you running for
this week?” He chose lieutenant governor for three reasons:
First, he has a state-wide constituency with
home schooling and other pro-family organizations across the
state. Second, his experience as a constitutional lawyer is
oriented toward state government rather than federal government.
And finally he felt the office of lieutenant governor was
appropriate for a first-time office seeker.
What is the job of the lieutenant governor? I must confess I hadn’t realized the office existed until my dad decided to run for it! The lieutenant governor holds the second-ranking position in the executive branch of state government below the office of governor. The lieutenant governor is a lot like the vice-president, except for the fact that he doesn’t attend many foreign funerals. If the governor dies, resigns, is impeached, or becomes unable to carry out the duties of his office, the lieutenant governor serves as governor. He also works to help the governor with his duties.
In addition the lieutenant governor presides
over the state senate and casts the deciding vote in the case of
a tie. This situation does not arise very often, but when it
does, the matter at hand is usually of extreme importance.
But how does a person get elected to office? I
had a faint idea of how the political system worked, but I found
out I had plenty to learn!
Before the general public votes for the
candidate of their choice, the two parties have to nominate who
will run in each state-wide race. There are two ways to nominate
a candidate—primaries and conventions. This year the
Republican party decided to hold a convention. At the convention
in June, delegates from each county in Virginia will gather to
nominate the Republican candidates for governor, lieutenant
governor, and attorney general.
Right now the most important job that’s
being done for the Farris campaign is signing up people to become
delegates to vote for my dad. Becoming a delegate in Virginia is
fairly easy. Almost everyone who signs up to become a delegate is
voted in. This is because the number of people willing to be
delegates rarely exceeds the limit that can be elected.
My dad’s Republican opponent in the
primaries is a woman named Bobbie Kilberg, who worked in the
White House under George Bush. My dad and Bobbie are the most
ideologically opposed of all the Republican candidates for
statewide office in this election. My dad is conservative,
committed to fighting for lower taxes, limiting government
bureaucracy and regulation, stopping all attacks on our Right to
Work, and protecting full second amendment rights (freedom to
bear arms). He is unashamedly pro-life. How’s that for a
campaign pitch?
On the other hand Bobbie Kilberg is pro-choice,
supports gay rights, and while she worked in the White House, she
supported the budget deal with the Democrats that raised taxes
and cost George Bush his job (“No new taxes”).
The race for lieutenant governor is becoming intense. My dad has been getting a wonderful response from voters all over Virginia signing up to be delegates. This has Bobbie scared. She realizes that my dad, with his strong, clear beliefs, has a good chance of winning. Because of this, she has begun attacking him with untrue statements in mailings.
Obviously, this race is very exciting, and I
have had the privilege of helping work with the campaign in
various ways. I’ve worked hard but not nearly as hard as the
regular campaign staff! It takes a lot of stamina and dedication
to work full time for a campaign. Often the staff will work 12 to
14 hours a day with only two Coke breaks.
My various jobs for the campaign have included
writing thank-you notes for donations and stuffing envelopes for
mailings. Once I catered a 150-person reception with a
friend and then cleaned up the 150-person mess. I also travel
with my dad to various Republican events and meetings to pass out
literature and to be a charming daughter. I will be working full-time
on the campaign after my dad wins the June nomination. As you can
see, I have full faith that he will win.
The job that is the most challenging and the
most fun is going to the meetings to pass out literature and
stickers. The first time I did this it took a little getting used
to, since I don’t normally walk right up to strangers and
greet them with, “Hello, can I give you a Farris sticker or
brochure?” After a while, the awkwardness wore off and I
began to enjoy meeting new and interesting people. However, the
most challenging part of this job is knowing that I, as Mike
Farris’s daughter, am responsible to be a good
representation of him to the public.
I’ve found that
running for office is a process that takes a lot of time, energy,
determination, and stickers. I have to be honest and say that it’s
not easy. My dad has to be gone a lot — I only saw him one
day these last two weeks, and that puts a strain on the the
family. With his harrowing travel schedule my dad hasn’t
been getting much rest either. Nevertheless, our family feels
that this is so important a calling that it deserves the
sacrifices we have to make.
The campaign so far has been a tremendous
learning opportunity for me. The education I’m receiving
about politics is profound! For many people, the whole process
seems like a mystery. But once you “learn the ropes”
you begin to realize, “Hey, I can really do this! I can
really make a difference in my state and my country!” The
most exciting thing is that as Christians, we can use politics to
do great things for the Lord. I would highly recommend every
young person who has a chance to work for a campaign. Until next
issue, this is Christy Farris on the campaign trail!
©1993-1996 by New Attitude. All rights reserved.
Used by Permission.
www.newattitude.com | www.joshharris.com