By Suz Seymour
It’s been a full week and change since we awoke to the news our Country- and our State- had gotten even Bluer. As my own political campaign is winding down (or is it?), I have a few reflections to share. For one, coming in 3rd place feels amazing. I made the podium in Vermont’s U.S. Congressional election, behind our Democratic Incumbent Balint and Republican Challenger. Malloy. I won the Bronze Medal! WIth 5 months of seriously hard (and steep) uphill campaigning, with no handbook and my own money to burn, I set off on a race that Seven Days called “a long shot”.
And it was.
Putting a difficult, near-impossible task on your personal life docket is perhaps only for those who are *privileged enough * to try. Or too poor to have any other option, when you think about it.. But i did far more than try.. I experienced. I perseveranced. I already knew what grit was and had a chance to prove it to myself again. People called me other things: Inconsequential. Spoiler. Libtard with the purple hair. A Republican hiding within the Independent jacket. Even a… Libertarian. Gasp! But I’ve been called a lot of things in my life and none of it offends me because…none of it defines me.But instead of focusing on that, what I discovered running as an Independent was total strangers, friends and family pulling together, the way “grassroots” is really defined. A home-grown campaign. Sure, I had a snowball’s chance in *Hellll-OOO Dolly!* but it was so satisfying to undertake. Like taking a slow bite of the (political) apple and spreading a message. I often likened myself to “Vermont’s Own Johnny Appleseed”, spreading thoughts and ideas that will take years to bear fruit…but will be ready and waiting when the tree has grown strong enough to do so.
And what was the message? Let’s start with the Great Divide in the political system. There are only (really) two sides: Team Red and Team Blue. And we always must choose the side we have more in common with (Or think we do).
My message was finding a way to bridge the gap. So I set about talking to real Vermonters, because I think having earnest conversations will do just that. I listened to the suffering of Vermonters, old and young: their fears about the future, being able to stay in Vermont, the old Vermont that we have known and loved seems to be vanishing before our eyes. Drugs. Jobs. Immigrants. Homelessness. Taxes. Despair. Anger. Frustration.
And both Teams pretty much feel the same way, ironically.
As I was on the campaign trail, I spoke from my heart, and it wasn’t always an easy road especially when you know others will disagree. My thoughts on gender transitioning of youth (aka my proposal re:The Tomboy Club), the difficult questions of abortion, war, helplessness of the mentally-ill and drug addicted weren’t always received with butterfly kisses.
But I am captivated and strengthened by what I saw and heard. I received phone calls from two mother’s who were at their wit’s ends about a school in Southern VT. that took their children down the transitioning pathway without their knowledge. Another from a man who lost his son to a drug overdose after being clean for years and went back just that one time. The continuous disgust of the taxpayers watching their own properties being taxed out of existence after decades of putting hard-sweat equity into it. The 7 homeless people on Church Street with their stories of despair and what occurred to bring them to this place in life.
So, no, I’m not stopping now.
I’ll be pushing in a different way. I’ll keep using my voice, through more radio, articles like this, a new podcast and a possible tv co-host appearance or two.
One of my greatest takeaways after this political run and my answer to what one person can do to effect change? I want to hold citizen debates.”Citizen’s Solutions” actually. .
I’m sick of hearing the same ol politicians with the same boring 101-word talking points.
I want real solutions. Different ones, Unique ones. Something from the Vermont Cave Dwellers and farmers and bartenders amongst us. The high school students, and the elders, the guys at the VFW or the Maplefields clerk.
WE have solutions no politician is willing to talk about because THEY are always up for re-election or the big money they take money from has a real interest in them not saying it. Or so it seems.
So the candidates aren’t as keen to find a real solution because well…what would we need them for anymore?
Surely, I jest. In part, I am, since I moonlight as a stand-up comedian for fun and excitement as I approach my Medicare Moment. But real discussions that are in the form of putting up or shutting up/discourse that could get fiesty or passionate… could actually lead us to the Middle Ground. That road is definitely messy but we can’t continue to go down the one we transverse right now. Team Blue and Team Red need a Team Purple on the debate stage.
Oh! The Citizen Solution Debates would include a prize for winning over the viewers…. Maybe we can be sponsored by Pfizer. Just kidding. You know they only produce things that are safe and effective, and we can’t guarantee THAT in a citizen’s “duel of words”,
We want the unexpected and fiery thing that needs to happen in real civil discourse, solution-oriented AND respectful, of course, Get the popcorn ready.
But you know you laughed. At least, I hope you did. Laughter is the best medicine: to heal our bodies, our psyches and in this case, the Great Divide we are living with right now. In this country. Here in Vermont. Our families, our communities. And mostly,.how we use laughter to guide our path forward.
Future political thoughts? Everyone’s asking. “Everything is on the table and nothing is on the table”, is my response. I enjoyed building a fire pit yesterday, and I’m catching up with all things I’ve not had time for since I jumped into the race in June.. Who knows? Maybe I’ll run against Mayor Emma and talk about possible real solutions to Burlington’s woes. I’d have to move to Burlington though. Maybe I could live in my car and just use that as my home address. Or make a new house with my old political signs in City Hall Park. Not funny, you say? Indeed, it’s not. That’s why my voice needs to continue to speak loud and clear for Vermonters.
This endeavor, at the very least, may end up being great fodder for the new upcoming comedy show I’m writing ,”Politics for Dummies” (may include ventriloquist puppets!). For those of you who didn’t catch the only debate I was allowed to speak in, Town Meeting TV holds the key to that joke.
May the Force Be with All of Us: we are going to have to band together like Princess Leah, Luke Skywalker and the merry band to combat what is coming our way, and build the Purple Team. But if there is one thing I am positive about, it’s that good people DO stand up when the situation requires it.
And this stand-up comedian is willing to do her part..
Suzanne “Suz” Seymour is a small business owner, massage therapist, stand-up comedian and recent 2026 Independent Candidate for U.S.Congress.