To My Supporters,
I want to sincerely thank everyone who supported me during my recent campaign for Cumberland County Prothonotary, and the 6,310 people (final tally) who voted for me. While I did not win the primary election, I remain deeply committed to public service and our community. The campaign was a positive learning experience. (Below see my Community Voices editorial in The Carlisle Sentinel on lessons learned).
My belief in transparency and responsible, people-first leadership has not changed. I will continue to advocate for our county and stay involved in civic life.
I believe in showing up, speaking out, and standing up—for good government, informed citizens, and exceptional and compassionate service.
Kind regards,
– Theresa Myers
I want to sincerely thank everyone who supported me during my recent campaign for Cumberland County Prothonotary, and the 6,310 people (final tally) who voted for me. While I did not win the primary election, I remain deeply committed to public service and our community. The campaign was a positive learning experience. (Below see my Community Voices editorial in The Carlisle Sentinel on lessons learned).
My belief in transparency and responsible, people-first leadership has not changed. I will continue to advocate for our county and stay involved in civic life.
I believe in showing up, speaking out, and standing up—for good government, informed citizens, and exceptional and compassionate service.
Kind regards,
– Theresa Myers
From The Carlisle Sentinel
Community Voices: Lessons learned from behind the political curtain
𝐈'𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤! On June 9, 2013, I wrote my first article for a new column in The Sentinel. I had stopped by The Sentinel’s office a couple of weeks prior to complain to the then-editor, Jason Maddux, about the lack of Republican viewpoints in the editorial section and that he should do something about that. Though I had no professional writing experience, I did make regular online comments to political articles in The Sentinel using my real name and picture; we agreed I’d write a weekly article.
𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧, I sensed a growing sentiment to lump all Republicans into a faceless group and attribute broad sweeping negative stereotypes to us, like racist and homophobic. I chose the name – Face of a Republican – for the column as I wanted to humanize Republicans. When I started writing the article, I had no connection to the county Republican establishment. I was just a neighbor, the person who volunteers with you with the local mental health advocacy group, works with you, and who happens to be a Republican with a lot of opinions, who thought that though we see things differently politically, there should be no place for hate on either side. I wanted a Republican’s voice to be heard, and someone had to do it.
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, my connection with the Republican party in Cumberland County and my involvement in politics increased, so it seems to reason I may eventually become a political candidate. I did, and since November, I have been campaigning for Cumberland County prothonotary.
𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 I faced, I still had 6,293 people vote for me. I appreciate that. I stayed in the race, unsupported by the Cumberland County Republican Committee, as I was obedient to God. Now I am asking God what lessons He wants me to learn from the journey. It is still a work in progress, but I wanted to share some of what I learned.
𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞. It is true. I have a hard time believing negative things about people unless I experience it firsthand.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟏: Politics truly is a nasty game. Even in a little race for prothonotary, you can get to see people’s real character. If the stakes were higher, I can’t imagine what some people would stoop to.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟐: People may make up and spread lies to paint you in an unfavorable light or impugn your character. They may even get an accomplice to serve as a “witness” to your supposed action to add credibility to the lie. Clever.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟑: Allegiances may change even with people you have helped. People who have supported you or said they would stay out of it, who you thought had fortitude when pressure is applied, may fold. I experienced negative behavior from people who I didn’t think were capable of such. I learned that principled people are in short supply, and politics seems a magnet for the self-serving.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟒: Door-to-door makes a difference. I had a very positive experience meeting the voters. They liked that the candidate came to the door.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟓: Not all advice from the so-called “experts” is good advice. Timing is important; I made a mistake as to when to mail my mailer to people receiving mail ballots, listening to an expert’s advice. You need to have someone with common sense you trust to run things by.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟔: Covering the high turnout polls with someone to promote you is essential. This was an advantage my opponent had with the backing of the county GOP party staffing the polls, which was insurmountable to overcome. The number of people who showed up for the local election with no idea who they were voting for or who all the candidates were dumbfounded me.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟕: You have to keep things in perspective. This is a campaign, and when it is done, let it go. You can see a side of people that is unexpected – good and bad.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟖: You can’t thank your supporters and those who stood by you enough. Be grateful.
𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟗: Even with what I know now, I am glad I ran. Though I was not victorious, it was a positive learning experience that taught me lessons that I don’t think I could have learned any other way.
Theresa Myers is a constitutional conservative and local political commentator.
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞: https://cumberlink.com/opinion/editorial/article_91def63d-ca57-4b9d-8372-3a682dc90788.html
Community Voices: Lessons learned from behind the political curtain
- May 26, 2025 by Theresa Myers
𝐈'𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤! On June 9, 2013, I wrote my first article for a new column in The Sentinel. I had stopped by The Sentinel’s office a couple of weeks prior to complain to the then-editor, Jason Maddux, about the lack of Republican viewpoints in the editorial section and that he should do something about that. Though I had no professional writing experience, I did make regular online comments to political articles in The Sentinel using my real name and picture; we agreed I’d write a weekly article.
𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧, I sensed a growing sentiment to lump all Republicans into a faceless group and attribute broad sweeping negative stereotypes to us, like racist and homophobic. I chose the name – Face of a Republican – for the column as I wanted to humanize Republicans. When I started writing the article, I had no connection to the county Republican establishment. I was just a neighbor, the person who volunteers with you with the local mental health advocacy group, works with you, and who happens to be a Republican with a lot of opinions, who thought that though we see things differently politically, there should be no place for hate on either side. I wanted a Republican’s voice to be heard, and someone had to do it.
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, my connection with the Republican party in Cumberland County and my involvement in politics increased, so it seems to reason I may eventually become a political candidate. I did, and since November, I have been campaigning for Cumberland County prothonotary.
𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 I faced, I still had 6,293 people vote for me. I appreciate that. I stayed in the race, unsupported by the Cumberland County Republican Committee, as I was obedient to God. Now I am asking God what lessons He wants me to learn from the journey. It is still a work in progress, but I wanted to share some of what I learned.
𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞. It is true. I have a hard time believing negative things about people unless I experience it firsthand.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟏: Politics truly is a nasty game. Even in a little race for prothonotary, you can get to see people’s real character. If the stakes were higher, I can’t imagine what some people would stoop to.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟐: People may make up and spread lies to paint you in an unfavorable light or impugn your character. They may even get an accomplice to serve as a “witness” to your supposed action to add credibility to the lie. Clever.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟑: Allegiances may change even with people you have helped. People who have supported you or said they would stay out of it, who you thought had fortitude when pressure is applied, may fold. I experienced negative behavior from people who I didn’t think were capable of such. I learned that principled people are in short supply, and politics seems a magnet for the self-serving.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟒: Door-to-door makes a difference. I had a very positive experience meeting the voters. They liked that the candidate came to the door.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟓: Not all advice from the so-called “experts” is good advice. Timing is important; I made a mistake as to when to mail my mailer to people receiving mail ballots, listening to an expert’s advice. You need to have someone with common sense you trust to run things by.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟔: Covering the high turnout polls with someone to promote you is essential. This was an advantage my opponent had with the backing of the county GOP party staffing the polls, which was insurmountable to overcome. The number of people who showed up for the local election with no idea who they were voting for or who all the candidates were dumbfounded me.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟕: You have to keep things in perspective. This is a campaign, and when it is done, let it go. You can see a side of people that is unexpected – good and bad.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟖: You can’t thank your supporters and those who stood by you enough. Be grateful.
𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟗: Even with what I know now, I am glad I ran. Though I was not victorious, it was a positive learning experience that taught me lessons that I don’t think I could have learned any other way.
Theresa Myers is a constitutional conservative and local political commentator.
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞: https://cumberlink.com/opinion/editorial/article_91def63d-ca57-4b9d-8372-3a682dc90788.html
- I write for The Carlisle Sentinel's Community Voices editorial section (subscription service needed). If you want to keep up with what I am doing politically post campaign, that would be a good place to visit. I can also be reached at [email protected]
