Defeat Is Not the End of the Story

Election night does not always bring the results we hoped for. For candidates who worked tirelessly, volunteers who knocked on doors, and supporters who gave their time and resources, defeat can be deeply disappointing.

But history reminds us that a political defeat is not necessarily the end of the story.

• In 1858, Abraham Lincoln lost his race for the United States Senate. Two years later, he was elected president.
• In 1964, Barry Goldwater suffered a landslide defeat. Just two years later, Republicans made substantial gains in Congress, and four years after Goldwater's defeat, a Republican was back in the White House.
• In 1976, Ronald Reagan lost his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Four years later, he was elected president.

These examples do not promise that every defeat will be followed by victory. They remind us that political history is filled with unexpected turns, and that the work of public service extends far beyond any one election.

The relationships we build, the people we help, the issues we study, and the communities we serve all have value, regardless of an election's outcome.

An election may determine who holds office, but it does not determine whether our participation in civic life matters.

Our history is still being written.

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