06 Oct I believe in the power of words
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Thank you for your support as our campaign team, many volunteers, and I work the phones, text messages, and travel the long highways and bumpy byways of Utah’s 2nd Congressional District. We continue to share our message, draw clear distinctions with my opponent (this is not an Election Day choice between Stewart and me of a few degrees, but rather a 100% difference), and offer hope … in the form of better policies and a lot less division … for a better year in 2021.
As a writer, I believe in the power of words. Talk, as the cliché goes, is cheap, because it usually is. Political talk is the cheapest talk of all, particularly in an election year. But the words of others who choose to write—letters to the editor, OpEds, essays—are important. People choosing to take a stand and put some work into the keyboard, then hitting send to newspaper editors under their own bylines.
Below are Utah voices who have made time to speak to issues that matter. I hope you will take time to read them. Each offers a different and personal perspective—the opposite of cheap talk.
Letters to the Editor
We have seen a lot of supporters writing letters to the editor and opinion pieces for newspapers recently. We hope that you will read the pieces below, share them, and maybe even be inspired to write to your own local paper.
Richard Badenhausen, “Kael Weston will lead by listening,” Salt Lake Tribune, October 2, 2020.
Kai Reed, “Weston embodies the qualities we need in our leaders,” Salt Lake Tribune, October 1, 2020.
Rodney Dueck, “Weston Is the Opposite of Stewart,” Salt Lake Tribune, September 9, 2020.
Andrew Kramer, “Our Politics Are Failing Our People,” Salt Lake Tribune, August 27, 2020.
Virginia Lee, “Ditch Hemlock Man for a more rationale candidate,” Salt Lake Tribune, August 21, 2020.
10 Quick Tips
- Check the guidelines for submission and allotted word count.
- Focus on one topic. If you have more than one topic to cover, write another letter.
- Be yourself. Letters to the Editor in your own voice and words are the most powerful.
- Timeliness matters. When responding to an article or story, do it right away.
- Get right to the point. Focus on what’s most important.
- Be specific. Cite your sources.
- If you have special expertise or knowledge of the issue, include that in your letter.
- Personalize the issue. How does this impact real people (including you)?
- End with a call to action: what do you want readers to do after reading your letter?
- Be professional. Follow the submission guidelines and include your contact information.
On Wednesday evening, Salt Lake City will host the Vice Presidential Debate, which will continue to emphasize the clear choice on November 3rd. Despite heavy haze from western U.S. fires, Utah’s majestic Wasatch Mountains should still be visible above the debate venue setting on the campus of the University of Utah, my alma mater founded in 1850.
Our campaign is also meeting with voters in more town halls in the coming two weeks, in Davis, Tooele, and Salt Lake counties. These events (outdoors, distanced, masked) allow us to go to where residents and voters live, which is important in a red rock-to-alpine district that spans half the state.
As a reminder, here’s the map of where we have been already and where we continue to make every effort to be—to listen, learn, and ensure that urgent policy issues are addressed.
Thank you for your support. These are the countdown days in which every kind of support matters, a lot.
Kael Weston
kael@westonforcongress.com