I Think I’ve Lost My Mojo

So … that New Year’s Resolution about getting more sleep by getting to bed on time? Yeah … doesn’t look like I’m keeping it very well this week. Prior to tonight, I think the reason I’ve not been sleeping is due to my back bothering me (I think I may have hurt it when I was at the gym a few weeks back).

But tonight, it’s because I was waiting to get word out of Genesee County about a special primary election for an open State Senate seat. Tonight, two State Representatives faced off against each other (Jim Ananich & Woodrow Stanley). Now, after reviewing the relationship that both candidates had with Michigan banks,the choice for the MiBankPAC was easy to make. We liked Woodrow.

But for me personally, Woodrow has been a person that I’ve looked up to for the way that he carries himself as a public official. You see, Woodrow’s road hasn’t always been easy. He is a former Mayor from Flint, MI and was, at one point, recalled from office because he just could’t prevent a bad thing from happening to his city.

But he came back from that. He got himself elected a County Commissioner (eventually becoming Chair) and went on to get elected a State Representative. In winning and losing, he has an air of grace and dignity that I would like to replicate in my own life (but keep failing at).

Tonight, Woodrow fell short and as I’ve been reading and re-reading tonight’s edition of Gongwer I am reminded that my track record for predicting elections in Michigan has gone to crap and it’s been that way for almost 18 months now. I didn’t pick my personal County Commission campaign right. I didn’t pick the margin of the US Presidential race right (completely misreading the many Romney signs I saw around Kalamazoo County). I didn’t pick a few local races right and miss the mark on a couple of Jaycee races as well.

Considering that Selection Sunday is a few days away … this doesn’t bode well for my NCAA Basketball tournament brackets this year.

That part of my soul that likes to feel bad for myself keeps raising thoughts that perhaps, when it comes to politics, I’m the kiss of death. I like to think I have a good read of people and of polls an of pundits. But maybe I don’t. And for someone who has made his career dealing in a very political environment, if I’ve lost my mojo (or never had it to begin with) then I’ve definitely picked the wrong career.

Three strikes and you’re out. That’s what they say. Maybe that’s where I’m at now.

I do think, perhaps, I owe Woodrow, a guy named Scott, a fellow named Kevin, one of Lansing’s latest Key Members, the Michigan Wolverines, the Detroit Tigers, and my WMU Broncos an apology for invoking the wrong kind of mojo for them by picking them to win.

I guess that makes me like ESPN’s Mike Greenberg? Yeah, I should’ve stayed in broadcasting.