rolandsmartin

Dear Florida Democratic candidates, I know this is a lot to ask of some of you. You just spent a year, 15 months, 18 months, maybe even two years of your lives campaigning. Knocking on doors, meeting people in your communities, listening to voters, learning their struggles, understanding their concerns, and doing everything you could to convince them that you were the right person to represent them. And some of you came so damn close. I know you're exhausted. I know you're disappointed. I know how much you sacrificed, how much your families sacrificed, and how much of yourselves you poured into these races. But here's what I want you to remember. The reason you got into that race still exists. The issues haven't disappeared. The people who need representation haven't gone anywhere. And the belief that you were the right person to fight for them shouldn't disappear because you came up short on Election Day. Delay is not denial. So I'm going to ask you to consider something. If you have the means, the resources, the drive, and the time, I'm asking you to spin the block and RUN THAT SHIT BACK in 2028. Because here's the thing. You've already done some of the hardest work. You have a base. You have voters who believe in you. You have name recognition. You have relationships in your communities. You have donors, volunteers, and an infrastructure that didn't exist when you first announced your candidacy, electorial data. And now you have something else. Experience. You know what worked. You know what didn't. You know where you fell short and where you need to grow. And in 2028, you're looking at a larger electorate with an opportunity to build on everything you've already accomplished. But first, REST. Go love on your families. Spend time with your spouses, your children, your friends, and the people who sacrificed right alongside you. Take a vacation. Sleep late. Get your mind right. Then sit down with the people who matter most to you and have that conversation. Because if that fire is still burning, if you still believe you're the right person to represent your community, and if your family and circumstances allow you to do it again, I want you to seriously consider running it back. And if your seat isn't on the ballot in 2028, then take a good, hard look at 2030. We do not have to start from scratch every election cycle. We can BUILD. We can build on the relationships. Build on the infrastructure. Build on the voter contact. Build on the fundraising networks. Build on the lessons learned. That's how we turn close races into victories. That's how we build a bench of experienced candidates. That's how we stop treating every election like we're starting at zero. And that's how we eventually flip this damn state BLUE. So to every Florida candidate who put themselves out there, who fought like hell, and who came up just short, I hope this isn't the end of your story. I hope it's just the beginning of your next chapter. And trust and believe, if you decide to run it back, I'll be right behind you, shit-talking the ENTIRE way. Now go get some rest. We've got a state to flip. LET'S GO WIN!