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What A Long Strange Trip It's Been by Michael Hanley Michigan House Democratic Leader In the Beginning... November 3, 1987. Election Day for the Saginaw City Council and the Saginaw School Board. The temperature hit 70 degrees, but the turnout was a record low. I had returned from a Washington D.C. internship with Rep. Bob Traxler's office in August with my sights set on winning on this day. I'd taken an additional two months leave of absence from GM after completing my B.A. at Western Michigan, just so I could campaign full time for my first public office. Three times that night, partial counts were reported. Each time I was just outside the top five out of the 17 contenders, which is where I'd need to finish to win a seat. My brother Bob, an avid local election follower, recorded which precincts were in and those not yet counted, and kept telling me that the precincts where I'd do best had not yet been counted. Finally, then Mayor Larry Crawford came up with the final results. I listened in the hall as he told those in attendance that the winners were Bob McIntyre, Henry Nickleberry, John Dankert, Tom Crampton, and Mildred Mason. I hadn't made it. As I walked through the City Council chambers thanking my supporters and congratulating fellow also-rans for their efforts, my brother realized that Crawford had spoken in error. I was actually the fifth place finisher, besting incumbent Mason by about 125 votes. But my brother hadn't said anything to me yet, and then City Manager Vernon Stoner approached me and said congratulations. My response was to ask what for. His answer: I'd won. And for me, that was just the beginning. Highlights? Hard to Narrow the Choices Like the headline says, What a Long Strange Trip it's Been! Eight elections over 13 years. Two for City Council and two primaries and three generals for State Representative. Highlights? The 1994 write-in campaign for the House, which we feared could potentially split the Democrats in 1996 and deliver the seat and the State House majority to the Republicans. The 1996 primary, a race which many in Saginaw (if not most in Lansing) said could not be won by a white candidate. The 1998 nomination of Geoff Feiger as the Democratic candidate for Governor, which resulted in a loss so big that it dragged the State House Democratic Caucus into the minority, leaving me, who some labeled "The Experimental Speaker", since I was to be the first produced by term limits, as "The Accidental Minority Leader." And of course I won't forget my effort as a write-in candidate for Saginaw County Clerk, which really if nothing else, demonstrated the truth of the old adage, "it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Even though I didn't win, I know I played fairly. It's been 13 years since that night which shaped my future in ways I couldn't have imagined. So, what did I learn? Over the years, I have learned a lot. I could tell you what goes into the development of public policy: thoughtful consideration of both the pros and cons of an issue and a voting determination made upon that basis. I could tell you what goes on behind the scenes in political campaigns; but then again, let's just say some of it is better left unsaid. Besides, to a certain degree, public policy and political processes can be studied in school. But there are some things that don't show up in a textbook or a classroom lecture and are reinforced when you serve in public office. Besides the importance of playing fairly, I learned that there is no substitute for integrity. I learned that honesty is the best policy. I learned that your word is everything. I learned that people can have vastly different ideological viewpoints but still be united in their goal to do what is best. I learned that compromise does work. It has been confirmed to me that by and large, people who run for office are doing so because they believe that everyone deserves a voice in our system of government. And even though the best candidates don't always win, I gained a deeper appreciation that representative democracy is the best form of government in the world. So as I close this chapter of my life. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn and experience so much. I will always consider my time in public service as one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
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