I need to come up with a better response for when people ask, “Have ya ever run for office before?” (eyebrows raised expectantly). The analogy that came next was that me running for Congress is like me trying to play in the MLB (Major League Baseball). While I appreciated the reminder of the beautiful sport that is baseball and I have always harbored an unanswered dream of being an MLB starting pitcher, I thought, “Those two scenarios cannot possibly be analogous.”
Then after reigniting my MLB dreams, the consult continued on: I need to get to “candidate school.” There are organizations, specifically for women, that will help you spend around $1,000 and 5 months of your time to learn how to be a “candidate.” I avoided finishing school once and I'm not going to let it enroll me now. Anyone I’ve ever interacted with who brings up the words “Emily’s List” are all the same. I’ll leave it at that.
Another point that was emphasized is that people ascend in politics because they have developed “long standing” political relationships with other...politicians. SMH. This is the entire problem in a mortar shell. It’s hard for me to even unpack this so I won’t. We already know.
The sage advice above is not how the Constitution describes eligibility to run for the US House of Representatives. The Constitution, to which my American loyalty gives its full attention, states:
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. (Article I, Section 2).
Key Points:
-25 years old age requirement
-US citizenship for at least 7 years
-Live in the state from which you are elected
I’d like to encourage all Americans who fit the above criteria to think about running for elected office. Diversity of candidates, which is America manifested, will only be achieved when more of Americans realize their infinite worth, regardless of how hard the Status Quotidians try to push us down and bum us out.
We need a Basset Hound photo now:
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