Governorship Campaign – Lesson One

Since patriotic Americans, those who appreciate our exceptional past, live those values, and want to preserve them, there are many of us – and since my beloved State’s political disintegration has kicked me into running for governor, come along.

Today, let me offer a few anecdotes about life on this interesting journey, show you what happens when you declare for governor as a conservative in a purple state, get well funded, praise President Trump’s leadership, and condemn wokeness.

A combination of vigorous opponents – the ideological yet polite, the resentful and profane, those spring-loaded with mock shock, many quick to dump friendship for vilification, no time for facts, lots for opinions, and the Star Wars bar types – appear at your door.

All this is rather amusing, even educational, like putting out birdseed and watching squirrels suddenly appear, not unpredicted. Like hitting water from a 10-meter board, you are ready for it, but hitting the water is different from the air above it.

That said, taking that step and getting pretty quick feedback is liberating, even energizing, for me, exhilarating. Four reactions from longtime friends – perhaps not anymore – are illustrative of why conservatives must step up, but be ready.

While thousands have been very supportive, four reactions are illuminating and may help traditional conservatives understand what goes on in “The Progressive Mind.”

Reaction one was a woman known for decades, who called to lecture me, angrily saying, “woke is dehumanizing.”  I listened, which is what conservatives do. I explained “woke” is shorthand for an ideological turn to the left delivering total failure, 10,000 drug overdoses from zero, schools that were tops in the nation now 50th, unsustainable taxes and spending in a poor state, doubling a budget in less than a decade, highest property taxes in America, seniors forced from their homes, young so impoverished they cannot afford rent, men in women’s sports, over-emotionalization, over-sexualization, anti-faith confusion of children.

She listened, then got angrier, repeating “woke dehumanizes me.” I asked what word she would like me to use to summarize all these ideologically driven failures, noting underlying facts. She said, “You are smart, use a different word.” I said, “Okay…how about Marxist?”

She did not like that word, so she attacked on a different front. “Why do you call Democrats elitists?” I noted that I only call Maine’s Democrat leaders elitists. She asked why. I explained they have controlled the state for 30 of 32 years, so all those failures are theirs, a product of their policies. She went quiet, then back to “woke is dehumanizing.” How does one engage?

Reaction two was an old college friend, who said he thought well of me, but our lifetime friendship now meant nothing – no interest in supporting my efforts to help kids and seniors unless I “disowned” Trump. He proceeded to call Trump a fascist, damning his efforts to shrink, deregulate, decentralize, and restore accountability. He questioned my judgment, integrity, and mental acuity, and repulsed specific legal and factual defenses. Eventually, he hung up. How does one engage?

Reaction three was another old college friend, who – after nodding compliments to my kindness, integrity, and intellect – said he could never support me, despite the plight of Maine’s kids, drug problems, mass taxes, barrel-bottom schools – since I supported Trump. His conscience assuaged, spleen vented, he said goodbye. How does one engage?

Reaction four was an old high school friend who, like the first three, apparently once liked me, but no more if I supported Trump. She let loose when I said Maine schools were failing, “woke nonsense” should be removed in favor of merit, top national scores again sought – a measure of success – in reading comprehension, command of the English language, grammar, writing, algebra, geometry, calculus, biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, history, foreign languages, industrial arts, like carpentry, welding, electronics, plumbing, mechanics, so that kids can be skilled, confident, mentally tough, get good jobs and prosper as we were able to.

Her diatribe was an air punch, words about field trips, sensitivity, problems kids have, indignance that I would critique her world –she is a school principle – insufficiently up to the task. Rather than address reality, a statewide school fail – she deflected and took umbrage. How does one engage?

Bottom line: When you step up to put things right, knowing facts are with you, your state is off track, expect blowback. When you point out the system is failing, corrupt, filled with waste, fraud, abuse, and excuses – remember they are invested in that failure. You – anyone resolved to turn over stones, keep fighting, be relentless, determined to fix it all – is viewed as the enemy. Lesson One.

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).