Lincoln and Losing

My opponent often brings up the inconvenient truth that I ran for Congress in 2010 and lost, as if there were a giant letter “L” carved into my forehead. (Any Nathaniel Hawthorne fans out there?) I addressed that subject last year (“Sometimes, Nothing Works”), but it’s just as good an answer to point to the career of my favorite President, Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln: He ran for the state legislature in 1832, and came in eighth.

Lincoln and his partner started a general store in 1833, and it went bust. Lincoln had personally guaranteed the note, so the sheriff seized Lincoln’s stuff, and sold it.

In 1835, Lincoln’s girlfriend (and perhaps his fiancée; this is disputed) died.

Lincoln actually was elected to the state legislature three times, starting in 1834. But he ran for Illinois Speaker of the House twice, and he lost, both times.

Lincoln ran for Congress in 1843. He lost in the primary. {Although Lincoln did win in 1846, and served one term. I have seen the mark in the Capitol building, where Lincoln’s desk used to be.}

In 1849, Lincoln sought the position of General Land Office Commissioner. The Secretary of the Interior chose another candidate.

In 1854, Lincoln was nominated in the Illinois General Assembly for the U.S. Senate. (This was before the 17th Amendment, so the state legislatures selected U.S. Senators.) Lincoln fell six votes short.

At the 1856 Republican National Convention (which, contrary to popular belief, Clint Eastwood did not attend), Lincoln was nominated for Vice President. He lost.

In 1858, Lincoln was the Republicans' choice for the U.S. Senate, from Illinois. The Republicans failed to win the General Assembly, so Lincoln failed to win that seat.

So, by 1858, Lincoln was an eight-time loser (and, to be fair, a four-time winner) when it came to seeking public office. And, a very short time after that, Lincoln became the greatest President in history.

I read about this -- in Readers Digest, almost half a century ago -- and I’ve never forgotten it. I’ve won and I’ve lost. Winning is better. But there is no shame in losing. If someone has something to offer, and he still cares, then he picks himself up, he dusts himself off, and he tries again.

And then, with the help of people like you, he wins. And after that, we all win.

Courage,

Alan Grayson