A giant thank you and and invite...

Dear friends,

Wow, did we have a wild ride with this County Commission campaign or what? As Alan Gardner said in the Spectrum today "It was THE hardest campaigned commission race yet."

Quite honestly, I am surprised that the numbers turned out the way they did: Alder 34%, Gardner 66%. I thought our hard work would overcome the hard core influence that leads many voters to vote straight ticket Republican.

All day long, friends have been calling with ways to put it in perspective...

Our campaign earned 13% more votes than Obama did in Washington County.

We earned 10% more votes than the highest-earning Democrat in Washington County's recent history.

Supporters believed in our campaign so much that we raised more funds than any other local race so far.

Jim Matheson earned 26% of the Washington County vote during his first Congressional election; he earned 48% this time, his fourth try.

And remember, Gardner is basically a well-liked politician who wasn't really vulnerable to begin with.

Thanks to all of you for these great calls. I really appreciate them and I'm grateful for your outstanding help during the campaign. The voters of Washington County are much more aware of key issues that will affect the future of this beloved country. And now we all get our lives back.

Many of you have asked "what will happen to your ideas for solar power, Vision Dixie, Lake Powell Pipeline vote" and "will you run again." Quite frankly, I need some time to sort out my options before answering that question. I will spend the next 10 days pruning trees in Grafton to clear my mind and spend time in one of my favorite places on the planet for the fall season. My intention is to have much more clarity once the trees are pruned.

I am completely undecided about whether I will stay in Washington County or go away for a time. I'm considering graduate school (MBA or MPA) or a job in renewable energy (I'll look at T. Boone Pickens and Google) or land conservation.

I will be searching for opportunities to apply my enthusiasm, business acumen and marketing/advocacy skills on the business side of the renewable energy field or as an officer for a foundation that grants funds for conservation work. If any of you have leads, I would like to consider them and would appreciate any suggestions.

In the meantime, please know that the conversation we began about Washington County's future is officially moving to the blog at www.WinWithLin.org. Because our community will now disperse after the election, I want to be sure we stay connected and maintain the network that we created during the campaign. Please chip in and share any comments you wish on the subjects we care most about.

Thanks again. See you on the blog!


Lin Alder