Thank You for Being in the Arena
Like most of you, as the primary election season comes to a close, my thoughts turn to November 3rd and the upcoming general elections—okay, your minds have probably been there for a while! In the last week, I have read two pieces that really put me in a mindset of gratitude for those willing to run for office and serve. First, as I prepare for the upcoming meeting of the National Speakers Conference where one of our presenters will be historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham, I have been reading his latest book, American Struggle: Dissent, Democracy and the Struggle for a More Perfect Union: An Anthology.
While I enjoyed and was inspired by many (and shocked by a few) of the articles, speeches, and excerpts in the book, one speech in particular stood out in light of the upcoming elections: Theodore Roosevelt’s 1910 speech entitled “Citizenship in a Republic,”(1) which explains the obligations and responsibilities of citizens and leaders in a successful republic. Like many before me, I was struck in particular by a section of the speech that has become known as “The Man in the Arena:”
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
While it’s easier to sit on the sidelines criticizing those who actually make the decisions, these words remind me of the importance of those of you who are willing to step “into the arena” of elected service. In today’s world of social media bits and bytes, where, for many, Monday morning quarterbacking and criticizing public officials is a full-time job, I thank you for being willing to get in the arena, not only running for office but, once elected, choosing to lead the institution in which you serve. That is, indeed, going above and beyond the call of duty.
The second piece I read this week is an article that reminds me of the challenges that each face as public servants, “The Job is Changing’: Across Nation, Legislative Leaders Head for the Exits.”(2) As the title implies, the article notes that while a few senior leaders have lost their positions in primaries, a record number of legislative leaders are choosing to leave the legislature to seek other positions or simply go home. According to the article, about a third of legislative leaders are leaving their positions before the election, which will likely lead to additional leadership retirements due to electoral losses and shifts in partisan majorities.
Service in most state legislatures, and especially leadership, has always been a challenge, offering low pay, long hours, and limited public recognition (unless you make a mistake!). However, recent shifts in the political and public environment have made such service even more challenging. According to Utah Senator Wayne Harper, who is retiring after thirty years of service, “The job is changing. It’s becoming a little bit more challenging. There are more and more demands. If you’ve served for a while and you’ve given it your all, maybe it’s time to move on. There are more and more meetings, there are more and more constituent services, and to try to maintain a full-time job with a part-time legislature, that is a tricky balance.” In addition to increased responsibilities associated with leading the legislature, there is also the increasingly bitter partisanship and ideological differences that make it more difficult to get anything done. Finally, as the horrific murder of former Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband (and beloved pet) painfully remind us, there may even be real physical costs to public service.
And yet, despite these very real challenges and difficulties, most of you are running for re-election and will return to positions of leadership. And to those who are leaving after many years of public service, we thank you for your selfless contributions. You put yourself “in the arena” because you want to make a difference. You want to help the people you serve, and you want to make life better for the people in your state. Despite the challenges, despite the frustrations, despite the dangers… you step into the arena and give it your all.
Teddy would be proud of you, as are we. Keep up the good work!
(1) Delivered on April 23, 1910, at the Sorbonne in Paris.
(2) https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2026/08/04/the-job-is-changing-across-nation-legislative-leaders-head-for-the-exits/
