“I’m Keith Richardson, and I hate politics.”

That’s how I began my closing remarks at tonight’s Candidates’ Forum in Franklin. It was a well-planned and well-attended event, which was broadcast live over PCN and will be rebroadcast several times over the next 10 days. If you get PCN, I hope you will take a look and ask your friends to do the same.

Well, back to the point. We’re approaching that time in the race when the politics is really emerging. The money. The maneuvering. The mudslinging. Everything I hate about politics and suspect that you do, too.

So if we all hate politics, why do we keep sending politicians to Washington? Why not send statesmen, people more concerned with the next generation than the next election?

I am proud that we have run a campaign of principle over politics. I’m proud of you, and grateful to you, for standing with me. Let’s stay the course. Let’s keep our principles, even as the politics ratchets up in the coming days. And on April 22, let’s turn out to support principles over politics.

We’re preparing for a massive grassroots effort in the days before the election. If you can help pass out cards or serve for a time at the polls, please let me know.