I ran for a number of reasons:

• He supports agenda 21 type initiatives
  
• He is a consummate crony capitalist
  
• He is NOT a solid RTL candidate, though he is actually endorsed
  
• He and his wife were financial supporters of the local Dem party not-so-long ago.
  
• He will NOT fight the health care mandate, nor support any tenth amendment action.
  
• He FAILED our local party and community by NOT supporting right to work legislation
  

I thought I would do very well.  In fact, right to the very end, it seemed likely we would see a solid victory.  At the door I saw nothing but support.  The message was right.  The radio ads were highly effective though sparse. There were about 30 people who were helping in some way.  There was a great number who said "I already voted for you." Others were getting the same feedback.  There was no doubt in my mind of a victory.

It looked promising, and frankly was not at all predictive of a 65-35% indignant loss.

Damn.

The obvious handicap of running against incumbency aside, I have some suspicions of the mistakes made along the way that would lead to such an end.  There is a lot of analysis to be done.  I will try to objectively assess the failures and mistakes so that it never happens again.  

But looking at CD-11, I have greater concern about the ability of Michigan to shake off its milquetoast RINO brand. And in two years, we may have the bull of the herd trying to stick around.