Dave Lutrin Isn't Running This Year After All... A Guest Post

-by Dave Lutrin

Though I consider it a great opportunity to contest the 16th Congressional District seat of Florida, I have decided to forego the endeavor at this time. During the past two weeks, I have received tremendous support from Howie Klein, the local organizers of DFA and PDA, local DECs, as well as family, friends and colleagues. We had a professional team in place and ready to begin a competitive campaign, but the one element missing was timing. Although my wife and daughter supported my mission, they were not prepared for this sense of urgency. What should have been a time for excitement and joy became a sense of dread and sadness.

All that I do, I do for my family. The decision to jump into this race so that no “seat goes unchallenged” was made with thoughts of obligation, rather than what would be best for my family and me. Thus, with no time to prepare my wife for life without her husband and my 12 year-old daughter for life without daddy, I have decided that this is not the correct time or reason to throw my hat into the ring. After all, it is my love, devotion, and obligation to my wife and daughter that trumps obligation to all else. When the time is right for my family and me, perhaps in 2012, hopefully the faith and support will again be there for me, if not, I understand and can live with it.