Described by emcee Steven Crowder as the type of candidate “liberals check under their bed for,” 2012 Congressional candidate Mia Love (R-Utah) took the stage at CPAC Saturday to reassure conservatives that they will bounce back from last November’s defeats.
Love, who currently serves as the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah, is a rarity in Republican politics. She’s black, conservative and female in a state that is 92 percent white.
She discussed her heart-wrenching defeat in November to Blue Dog Democrat Jim Matheson, in which she lost by just one percentage point in a district 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney won with 67 percent of the vote.
Quoting the infamous World War II general George Patton, Love told the audience that, “The test of success is not what you do when you’re on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom,” and urged conservatives to hang tough.
“What does our bounce look like? How resilient will we be in the force of overwhelming opposition?” she asked.
Despite the tough loss, Love continues to expand her political brand of positive conservatism. Her secret to resilience is simple. “Sometimes success comes from just getting up everyday and working harder and harder,” the rising star said.
Her advice for preventing future conservative losses hinges on a commitment to strategic thinking and readiness. Love was quick to point out that conservatives must improve their perseverance and boots on the ground strategy.
“Many conservatives have reminded me that November was not the end for conservatives, it was just the very beginning,” said Love.
While Love hasn’t made anything official, she did admit that she is “seriously looking” at another run against Matheson, and has already hired Sen. Orrin Hatch’s (R-Utah) former campaign manager in preparation of a potential race.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz6g5t_ZSBQ&w=560&h=315]
