Character: The Only Clear Winner in Election 2022
“Character is the only secure foundation of the state,” Calvin Coolidge said, and character was the most important winner on Election Day. Despite their unexpectedly good showing, Democrats can’t claim they won. They did, after all, lose the House. Nor, despite narrowly prevailing in that chamber, can Republicans claim they won. They expected a “red wave,” didn’t come close and failed to take back the Senate. Yet politicians, election officials, poll workers and voters who demonstrated character in their roles as citizens did emerge as heroes. That’s a needed and hopeful sign for what George Washington called our “American experiment” in republican government.
Beginning with President Trump’s claim that his 2016 win was rigged to give Hillary Clinton the higher popular vote total, lies about widespread election fraud have persisted. They pushed 2020 election “deniers” to spread these claims in Congress, led some to attack the U.S. Capitol and were a central argument for many on this year’s campaign trail. Yet on November 8th the “big lie” and conspiracy theories behind it were widely rejected. So were at least some prominent candidates who assumed that basing their campaigns on these claims would propel them to victory. All those running for secretary of state positions on this platform failed in the face of voters who respected truth. These voters exemplified character.
At the same time many state candidates, including Republicans who resisted the “big lie” and their party’s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, were elected or re-elected. They withstood extreme fury, which too often included threats to them and their families. Local poll workers, despite efforts to intimidate them, showed up and did their jobs with competence and courage. The result was an election cycle without evidence of impropriety. All this is also evidence of character.
To their credit, and to honor a key principle of our democracy, almost all losing candidates from both parties accepted their defeat without charges of fraud or legal challenges. Millions of Americans demonstrated courage and fidelity to the Constitution by showing up and voting despite efforts to make that harder and fears for their safety. This too is the essence of character, the foundation of civic virtue. As John Adams put it: “Liberty can no more exist without virtue . . . than the body can live and move without a soul.”
The election also demonstrated the rejection of some candidates who cloaked themselves in false views that at their heart attacked other Americans, the opposite of character and civic virtue. Outgoing moderate Republican Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, who had presided over a heavily Democratic state, offered useful perspective. Dan Cox, the Republican nominee for governor this year, lost by 28 points because, as Hogan said, he’s a “Q-anon wackjob.”
An increasing number of prominent Republicans have now voiced that Donald Trump is more a danger than a help to the party’s future. Sadly, many of them eagerly embraced him until now. It’s worth asking if defeats on November 8th and the prospect of future losses, not fidelity to principle or truth, changed their minds. If they sacrificed their character for his endorsement and the presumed assurance of winning and only now regret it, that’s not character but opportunism.
Americans want candidates who confront important issues but possess good character. They want candidates who face the future with what Lincoln called “unimpassioned reason.” They prefer to vote for those who accept facts, appreciate truth and have integrity. They want leaders who are faithful to their Constitutional oath, put public service above their egos and resist efforts to weaken our republican form of government. Citizens who do the right thing want leaders who do the right thing.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said that “[C]haracter is destiny.” That’s true for people and nations. As we face the bitter political fights to come, we should remember that character won a victory in the recent election. We should hope that will be true - and work to make it so - in elections to come.
Photo Credit: Readingeagle.com
