August 19, 2025
As I sorted through the mail one day last week, among the usual bills and junk was an envelope addressed to my wife, Jennifer. It stood out because it was addressed by hand and the return address was Winterset. It was the wrong size and weight for an invitation, so when I handed it to her, we were both intrigued. Who sends letters anymore?
She opened it later and the next time our paths crossed in the house, she said, ‘Guess who that letter was from?” I played along and answered with the first Winterset resident that popped into my head. She said, “No. Matthew Schwarz.”
She handed me the letter, and the salutation read, “Fellow Madison County Republicans.” It was a campaign letter for Schwarz’s run for Auditor. I thought, “Wait, I’m a ‘Fellow Madison County Republican.’ Where’s my letter?” Later when my sons Kyle and Quinn told me they also received letters, I felt snubbed. After all, I have earned much more conservative credibility than they have. Jennifer leaned Democrat until she met me. (I don’t claim to have rehabilitated her; that’s just the timeline of events). Kyle and Quinn are budding young conservatives, but they never had to endure the Carter administration like I did…