Should Campaigns Get Personal?

You cannot turn on your television these days without being inundated with excessive campaign advertising. What is often troubling is when a candidate chooses to “go negative” and attack their opponent with negative and often untrue distortions.

Should a campaign get personal?

The answer is most definitely “NO” when it comes to personal attacks.

However, the answer is a resounding “YES” when it comes to reaching out and engaging the voters of the district. I spent a long, very hot summer knocking on as many doors as I could before the September primary. I continued throughout the fall. It was certainly not the easy way to approach campaigning, but it was the most rewarding aspect of the campaign and most effective way to understand the issues facing the constituents of this district.

On the trail, I have met people whom I will never forget, whose lives and stories have left an impact on me forever. I have knocked on the doors of strangers, who have now become friends. Two women, one in Easton and one in Brockton, opened their homes for “coffees” for me after I met them by simply knocking on their door. This experience has enriched my life, but also made me a better candidate. Meeting people one on one and listening to their concerns is the first step to being able to effectively represent them.

One can read the latest unemployment figures, but the impact is far greater when a father of four tells you about his struggle to find a job.

The more doors I knocked on, the more I understood that people are inherently good and inherently resilient. One gentleman that I met struggles daily with both cerebral palsy and quadriplegia. His main concern was for the daily struggles of his caregivers – often young women with families  who work hard but can’t seem to get ahead. Will I ever forget him? Never.

Will I ever forget the struggles of the young mother whose husband is serving in Afghanistan? Never.

Without a hardworking and personal approach to the campaign, I would never have met these people. Social media is a great tool, but will never be a substitute for human interaction. I have never liked robocalls. They are an easy way to talk to many people, but I would rather talk with people.

If elected as your State Representative, I will conduct myself in the same way that I have conducted myself on the campaign trail. I have committed to putting my mediation and legal career on hold so that I can devote myself fully to representing the people of this district. My efforts will be 100% on your behalf and not split between multiple other professional obligations. If elected, you can count on the same passion, integrity, and work ethic that I demonstrated on this campaign.

I respectfully ask for your vote on November 6, 2012.

Sincerely,

Claire Cronin