Why my mom won my vote for first selectperson

I am writing today in support of my mother, Laura Erickson, who is running for first selectperson of Greenwich. To preface, I will admit a modest amount of bias in my support; however, as her firstborn I believe I am also uniquely suited to speak to her merits in the areas that are not as easily observed from her resume. In my political experience, I have come to appreciate three particular qualities in an elected representative, those that are: pragmatic, constructive and empathetic.

I believe these three traits are core to my mother's identity and something she has consistently demonstrated as a parent and throughout her years in elected and voluntary community service. She is pragmatic — she brings a fact-based, structured thinking that is informed by her more than 25 years of hands-on experience in a wide breadth of local issues. If you saw the recent debate sponsored by the Greenwich League of Women Voters, I believe you will have seen this on full display.

She is constructive — nobody knows better than her that local politics is conducted by local people. You cannot get anything done if you are not willing to hear opposing viewpoints or are unwilling to compromise. There are few objective truths, and often the best path forward is the path that is distilled from reasoned and respectful discussion.

Finally, and what I believe is most critical, she is empathetic. She has raised myself, my sister and my brother here in Greenwich — and is deeply attuned with how much of a blessing it is to live here. We all attended Greenwich Public Schools and have since graduated from college. I believe her primary motivation in all of her years of community service, and in running for this elected office, is to pay that blessing forward. Laura Erickson knows this town inside and out and I know she would make an excellent first selectperson.