Why Run? Why Now?
"Why run? And why run now?" someone asked me recently.
I laughed and gestured around wildly, as if to say, "With everything going on, what isn't the reason?!"
I understood the heart of the question, though. I've been interested in politics since elementary school. I've never jumped into running for any kind of office, though, because it felt a bit like an exercise in futility. As a blue dot in a red district in a red state, the odds were stacked against me. Plus, like all of us, I've been busy - raising my child, growing my career, giving back when and where I can.
But there came a time when I couldn't stand on the sidelines any longer. Our administrations in both Pierre and D.C. have become too extreme. Besides that — it's different now. And I'll tell you why.
District 9 is winnable. It’s full of families who deserve real, responsive representation. I’ve heard from people who have felt the leadership vaccum and are ready for something different. There is a tide of excitement in this district and I truly believe our best days are ahead.
I have something to offer. I started my career as a middle and high school English teacher. I spent years writing grants for nonprofits that serve kids and families — navigating bureaucracy, making the case for resources and translating real community needs into language that gets results. In the last decade of my career, I’ve climbed the ladder of corporate America — leading teams, solving problems and getting project across the finish line. That’s exactly the kind of experience that should be in the State House.
The stakes are too specific to ignore. This isn't abstract anymore. I've watched proposals move through Pierre that would affect childcare funding, voter access, healthcare in rural communities. I’ve watched our legislators waste their limited time in Pierre — not to mention our money — focusing on culture war and identity politics rather than real issues that affect our ability to thrive. School funding, healthcare access, affordable food and housing, clean air and water: these are things that deserve to get a focus. They're topics that make a difference in people's actual lives. In my neighbors' lives. In my kid's life.
So here I am. Running anyway. Rooted in this district, in this community, in the belief that representation should actually look like the people it represents.
That's why. And that's why now.
So what can you expect from this blog?
Me. A real person writing about real things. I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers. But I know that District 9 is full of smart, busy people who just want someone paying attention on their behalf — and that's what this is.
I'll write about the issues that matter most to this district: childcare, schools, healthcare access, economic opportunity, and what it actually looks like when policy meets everyday life. I'll share what I'm hearing knocking on doors and participating in community events.
If that sounds like something you want in your inbox, stick around. And if you want to help make it happen, you can donate at https://tinyurl.com/give4potter.
Together, we can do this.
