Two days to filing…
In less than 48 hours, 2020 candidate filing will be completed in Oklahoma. The official names of those running for office will be posted to the state election board’s website, and a frenzy of action will begin. We, you and I, will begin a journey!
My name, Elysabeth Britt, will be on that list as a democratic candidate for United States Senate. This will not be my first time on a candidate filing. It will be my second. The first time was in 2018 when I sought election to the United States House of Representatives here in Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District. I had a wonderfully small yet resonating campaign in the heart of a conservative red state. In the June primary, I came in third out of six candidates. The winner of that contest, Kendra Horn, would go on to defeat Republican Steve Russell in November as she flipped our district blue – a glimmer of democratic hope in an oasis of red.
Me being a no-one with no name and no political background was super excited when I received over 10,000 votes (14%), considering there were so many candidates running. I felt lucky to have been able to go for it like that. To jump into the arena and connect with people on things that matter. Things I want to talk to you about. Things America should be talking about.
To begin that conversation with you, I’ve used the last 40 days to discretely write you using the capabilities of social media, though I’ve kept my posts set to private. I’ve been saving them for the Friday of candidate filing. I’ve actually been writing posts throughout the year, but not with such regular frequency as will now be the fortieth and final consecutive day tomorrow, Thursday, April 9, 2020.
It’s not a traditional-style campaign I’m starting, or in this case, restarting. Over the past 40 days, I’ve written and explained why I’ve campaigned this way, and I’ve counted down the days at the beginning of every post to help you read it in the order I intended, 1-40, but they can be read randomly as well. Since social media scrolls time in reverse, you’ll see the posts in the opposite direction from where I started.
The writing styles vary throughout, ranging from in-depth position opinions, stories, and thoughts meant to be encouraging, given we all have such different life experiences. My thinking was this would be the best way for you to learn about who I am, how I think, and what I’m hoping for by entering this election – a personal introduction broken down into daily segments if you would.
Considering I will be working to connect with Oklahomans not only in April, but also in June when voters will do more candidate research and again in October/November, and then more so after winning in November, my thought was this would make sense in order for everyone to have the same opportunity to learn about the candidate.
Of course, before we get too far into it, I should explain not announcing sooner, even though I did announce last summer but posted shortly after that that I was stepping out of the race in a post from August 2019 I’d labeled “The Whys.”
In that post, I provided three reasons which I had identified as barriers to a campaign that would last, at that time, over 16 months, which is a really long job interview. Those reasons were fundraising, maintaining stable personal economic footing, and hesitation within the Democratic Party to support LGBT candidates, all of those correlating to the stigma carried by candidates who are transgender, like me.
Looking back, I realize fundraising wasn’t the more significant issue, but the loss of stable footing provided by reliable employment was the most significant threat. Given that I work in news media - which includes the states most recognizable newspaper The Oklahoman, and having the ability to hire, terminate and exert influence as a Human Resources leader across the broader corporate organization - running posed potential image issues, not only for me but for the paper and those working there; especially given the attitude toward reporters and the media over the last few years by the Trump administration.
To avoid any ethical concerns or conflicts of interest related to my employment now, I have given my resignation. I am stepping away from my role as an HR Business Partner to members of the senior leadership group within the largest newspaper organization in the United States, Gannett. Call me crazy for that if you like, but working for You and helping our country mend and move in a constructive direction is undoubtedly the greater good.
In regards to LGBTQ support within the Oklahoma Democratic Party, there have been several changes since August, which I find encouraging. Time will tell.
In any event, the end of the stealth campaign is drawing near for me, and my planned filing day is quickly approaching. It has been concerning to see how the world has changed recently, and how those both holding and seeking this office have dealt with those changes. Fortunately, Oklahoma voters will have the final say in who we choose to work on our behalf.
My fellow Oklahomans, I hope by reading these messages and thoughts I’ve left for you, you’ll come to understand who I am, how much all of you mean to me, and what I hope for us. My wish is that you find this experiment in connection as enjoyable and thought-provoking to read as it was for me to write. And then sometime very soon, we’ll have a chance to meet, in person, and take the next steps to work together for a brighter future.
