Running Out of Time with Rob Prah, Jr.

Meet Rob Prah Jr., former State House candidate and author of "Running Out of Time: Chasing Red, White, and Blue." Rob and Jesse talk about the challenges of running for office during the early days of COVID-19, the shifting political landscape of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the importance of a strong family and friends support network, and how to deal with vitriolic voters who can't seem to look past your political affiliation.

Purchase Rob's book, Running Out of Time: Chasing Red, White, and Blue, at Amazon.

Created for his daughter to detail his run for public office, Running Out of Time: Chasing Red, White, and Blue chronicles this pursuit by Robert Prah, Jr. during a very challenging time in a district that has been historically "blue" forever.

It details his personal story of running for the Pennsylvania state legislature and the challenges he faced, especially from previous relationships and social media. It talks about being the "underdog" running against a lifelong Democrat-turned-Republican, where, according to many polls, Prah was favored to win the special election. The author also highlights how several committee members, past candidates, and elected officials have changed their political affiliation in recent years. 

Robert Prah, Jr. is an Army Veteran, Army Reserve Officer, Commander of the American Legion, life member of the VFW, and an educator. He enjoys running, biking, working out, scuba diving, sports, traveling, and spending time with his family. His interests include education, advocacy, and helping Veterans and their families. He and his wife have one daughter. Prah has a graduate degree in Law & Public Policy, with a concentration in homeland security. He is active in veterans service or

Learn more about the Keystone Reckoning Project at www.keystonereckoning.com

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Transcript

[jesse]: 0:31

Hi, and welcome to the Keystone Recording podcast. I am your host Jessie White, I have a guest today, Rob Prod, Junior, Rob, Thank you for joining me,

[rob_prah__jr]: 0:40

Thank you. It's great to be here,

[jesse]: 0:41

So Rob, I'm gonna give you the plug right up top here. Rob is a former state House candidate in the fifty eighth district in Westmoreland County, which will be talking about, primarily, but he also did something that most people should do when they run for office. He wrote a book about it. It's called Running out of time And where can you get it? I saw it on the books A million website and Amazon. Assuming

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:02

Amazon barns and oval. Yeah,

[jesse]: 1:05

Cool

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:05

couple on bay.

[jesse]: 1:06

awesome, so give everybody just a quick overview about yourself and kind of how you got to where you ran for office.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:14

Yeah, thanks again for having me

[jesse]: 1:15

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:16

so born in, raised in southwestern Pensylvania, I actually grew up in a very small community in Westmoreland County. It's called Smith, an home, Sharley Jones, which I briefly mentioned her in the book You know, Stone's Beer, Which many who've heard about that. This is

[jesse]: 1:32

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:32

actually a bottle that I that I had from when I was a young kid down in Smith, But yea so I grew up in Smithen and went to Alkhigh school. Was you know, involved in high school activities, Counsel and all that fun stuff, played a lot of sports. You know, growing up, just volunteering a lot in the community and things like that, and then slowly got into the political scene. Very young age was twenty one. I believe, when I first ran for council in a small town of about five hundred residents at that time, and then one thing led to the next, and you know, when I was in high school, I joined Te military, which I'm still in the military, So that is taking up a lot of my time traveling and doing things like that and decided to run for office. You know, just a lot of Things going on at a young age, and I just thought it was the right time. Try to make a move. So that's real. That's the extended elevator speech. If you will.

[jesse]: 2:22

Right right so before we get into the details of the campaign and the election and everything, let's let's go to the end of the last page first and tell everybody kind of what the outcome was, and you know and all of that.

[rob_prah__jr]: 2:37

Yeah, so I lost. I actually ran in the special election March of twenty twenty, So we're coming up on three years ago, which is really hard to believe, Because we had our first daughter was just under a year, so she's more than four years old now, so you can kind of figure that went pretty quickly, but looking back, I lost that special election. if you remember, March Seventeenth was the date of the election and Covid was already here,

[jesse]: 3:03

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 3:03

So with a bought a week and a half, maybe twelve days, Covid was here and just kind of changed the the entire plan for us at that point, but I was already on the ballot for the primary which was two months later in May, and then I was also on the general election ballet. You know, no one primaried me for that race, So you know it's It's interesting because there were three races in a short period of time, all in twenty twenty, and uh, you know, unsuccessful because one led to Next, And you know Ovid was here and it was just you know which we'll talk a little bit about the landscape in South western Pensylvania, especially West Morland, County, Just things have changed over the years.

[jesse]: 3:47

Well, absolutely, absolutely two things you said jumped out at me. One, talking about your daughter and looking back at seeing now when they were really young and I have to laugh. You know, I'll see like my memories pop up on Facebook or whatever, and it's like here's campaign pictures you took, you know, I took one of my son was a new born, you know for my last election and he. He's eight years old downstairs, making a racket right now, you know, So it's interesting using your your kids as a kind of a good barometer. You check the passage of time because you know you're right. A lot of this stuff just kind of all blends together. you know

[rob_prah__jr]: 4:23

Yeah,

[jesse]: 4:24

when you're doing the political stuff, So it's you know, but it really does. It gives you a lot of insight. you know. I tend to think I'm like boy, you know, I was such a different person back then as to where I am now, and you know, and kids just have the way of just you know. helping to lay those markers down. you know, keep us grounded. So

[rob_prah__jr]: 4:44

absolutely right, absolutely

[jesse]: 4:46

So and the other thing you know I definitely want to talk about is uh, the political

[rob_prah__jr]: 4:51

Yeah.

[jesse]: 4:51

landscape in southwestern Pa. So and before we get too deep into that the district

[rob_prah__jr]: 4:58

yeah,

[jesse]: 4:58

that you were running in the fifty eighth, you know, I think there's this perception out there that like, Oh my God, every district in south western Pa, that isn't in the city of Pittsburgh is true, Is all the way ran all the way through, But your district was blue for a long long time. Um, You know, So what were the? What were the numbers? like? you know? I mean, I know everything is changed post Trump, but you know your district was Ted Haris district, Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 5:27

Correct.

[jesse]: 5:28

Yeah, and Teddy, who I served with was in for he was in there forever. Then he retired and it includes the Manessa, right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 5:37

Yes,

[jesse]: 5:38

and somehow, the kind of like the traditional South Western Pa River towns you know, like the blue collar, you know, Union Democrat. And how much do you think that has changed over the last? you know? Ten years? And do you think that it? It has made it. almost could a Democrat win a district like that Now?

[rob_prah__jr]: 6:06

I would. I don't think I think I would have a hard time saying never. I think it is.

[jesse]: 6:10

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 6:10

It is very, very possible because I want to believe, and I might be a little naive here, but I want to believe that the residents in this area and I'm speaking Mon Valley, from Menesin to North Bell, Vern and Smith in West Newton. That's you

[jesse]: 6:27

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 6:27

know, my version of them valley, or some different Dffentitions out there, but I tend to think that those folks look at the candidates, and when we did some very Basic analysis afterwards, we did well with some Republicans in that area, especially where we live in Rosdraver,

[jesse]: 6:45

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 6:46

but on the flip side there were a lot of Democrats that also didn't vote. that you know, in the last four years, those democrats that didn't vote for me have switched parties, and that is you know. I've looked at the numbers periodically, you know, over the last year or two since I've been out of it and it's just astonishing. I mean, I covered some of the stuff. It's like I had Crystal ball. I knew what was going to happen

[jesse]: 7:08

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 7:08

and we have Canadates running Now In twenty twenty three that last year were Democrats and now they're on the Republican ticket. It's just

[jesse]: 7:17

Do you

[rob_prah__jr]: 7:17

it's interesting.

[jesse]: 7:18

do you think that that's because they now a lot more of the Republicans, or is it one of those? I'm a Democrat, but a Democrat can't win here, so I have to run as a republican.

[rob_prah__jr]: 7:32

This is my personal pain. I have a hard

[jesse]: 7:33

M.

[rob_prah__jr]: 7:33

time believing that someone that's that's fifty sixty years old. their values have changed, and now a lot of a lot of folks always go back to the what you see on T V. the charade The you know state of the union. I mean, I watched highlights because we have two kids now, so I didn't have two hours to sit and devote

[jesse]: 7:52

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 7:52

to that, But it's it's all theatric, And when you look at this stuff, the regular is we call them blue collar, hard working people Take care of their family. Maybe you know majority or gun owners. There's There's a lot of you know farms and things like that in this area, And these people are from this area. To say that they don't Aline with the National Party. I could agree to you know for certain topics or certain things like that, but I just have a hard time believing that someone that's fifty or sixty years old that their values have changed that much, especially those that want to run for office now. and to me it's clear that they're really runnin For office for themselves. I don't buy the fact this is my opinion. I don't buy

[jesse]: 8:36

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 8:36

the fact that they're in it for the people, because when you run for city council mayor, maybe I would even stretch it to a county commissioner, magisterial

[jesse]: 8:46

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 8:46

district judge. things like that. I just don't buy that. That's a Partizan type of a position. That's That's my opinion. You know you're out there serving the people. We're not talking about Second Amendment, which was a huge issue in my campaign. We're not talking about women, Right to choose. We're not talking about labor. Necessarily, You know, might come up in some collective bargaining agreements County

[jesse]: 9:08

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 9:09

level, And what? not? But those people they. I've noticed that they tend to shift and they vote for what? Those those top three those big three issues are. You know, everybody is little itdifferet with the top top three and I talk about that in my book,

[jesse]: 9:22

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 9:22

so it's kind of hard to answer that I don't buy that that they are really working for the people. I think it's this is a a shift And I told my dad this many years ago. I think we're going to see another shift whether it goes more independent, because we've seen a lot more independence and pensylvania registering. And you know they want to try to get out of that so called political game and maybe look at the candidates in a way, But I also see that this is a fad. You know, there, they're going towards what they think can win, and where there is, Let's be honest. The majority where I live now used to be in Rostrevor, Bell Vernon, where we live now Used to be very very blue. My home town where I grew up used to be roughly eighty, eighty five fifteen, very few independents, but now it's closer to sixty forty, and that's you know, in a small town that's a big shift

[jesse]: 10:19

Absolutely

[rob_prah__jr]: 10:19

doesn't seem like it when you're talking about, you know just now fifteen, twenty percentage points. But that's a huge shift and that's for me, that shows something, and having written this book and have shared my experience with the law Folks, You know, friends and neighbors and had a couple couple events. I think people are you know, At least for me they see what you're about. We, we, too often we look at someone and base them and I write about this, Whether you're a deer and R, and they, and they just completely, they either automatically aligned with you or they don't, and I can understand that to a degree I really can't. I mean, that's just how it is, but yeah, it's an interesting time for sure, and in the social media which I talk about a lot in the book real, It really changes that entire calculation of politics and democrat and republican. And and who you support it Just change. it changes the game. I mean, when I was in college, we waited. I went to Catou. We waited

[jesse]: 11:13

Right

[rob_prah__jr]: 11:14

for that dot address

[jesse]: 11:16

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 11:16

to pop out with Facebook. And you know, some days I wish that it really never was here Because there's some. There's some positive sides to it, but I think that is a huge factor that contributes to politics.

[jesse]: 11:29

I agree with you on pretty much all of that. You know. I just wrote a piece the other day and it was I do some free lancing and write about. I've started to get more back into the academic side of some of the polysize stuff having been like out on the you know, out on the ground, And then you start to think about Why is this the way it was? You know, And it was the

[rob_prah__jr]: 11:51

Oh

[jesse]: 11:52

article that I was writing was about data driven politic data driven campaigns, and you know the ethics of Them and all this stuff, And so, of course me to kind of do like a deep dive and start to really think about some things. And one of the takeaways that I came away with was it used to

[rob_prah__jr]: 12:07

Yeah,

[jesse]: 12:08

be with. We talked about social media and how, It's a lot of people say it broke politics. American politics. I don't know if social media was necessarily the thing. I think it was. It was a vehicle to allow a lot more silo conversations. right, It used to be If you're running a campaign and you've know and you've got to put an add out. right. You're like we have some money for an add,

[rob_prah__jr]: 12:34

ah,

[jesse]: 12:34

And it was twenty years ago you were going to do a t. V. add.

[rob_prah__jr]: 12:37

Oh,

[jesse]: 12:38

Okay, and if you're doing a t V, add, the expectation was the whole family is going to be at the is going O, be there watching T. V. You can't really pick who's going to see it. I mean, you know, for the most part, so you have to make sure that what you're saying is going to be acceptable to anybody that would be in the room right. So it's got to like kind of work for all time zones, which means there's kind of like a check and balance built in, because you can only say you can only get so crazy before you end up offending.

[rob_prah__jr]: 13:07

yeah, Yeah,

[jesse]: 13:08

You know everybody else in the room by using all of the digital placement and the targeting that we can use. now with data, it's taken that away. so what you can do is basically whisper in the ears

[rob_prah__jr]: 13:21

Yeah,

[jesse]: 13:22

of everybody in the family right, you know, hey, dad, someone's coming to take your guns. Hey, mom, the ruined public education with C, r T. H. Hey, you're not going to be able to get an abortion if you need one. Hey, wouldn't it be great to be a white nationalist right? so now at the you know, everybody s sitting in the same room again. But because now we're all on our separate devices, I can use data to pump very targeted messages that I know we're going

[rob_prah__jr]: 13:51

yeah,

[jesse]: 13:51

to,

[rob_prah__jr]: 13:51

Oh,

[jesse]: 13:51

kind of just you know, get that emotional response out of you, and in a way that we never could before. So you know so then, and it feeds into that idea. You know, the Democrats are kind on to take your guns. Republicans totally anti abortion whatever,

[rob_prah__jr]: 14:07

h,

[jesse]: 14:07

and in some instances you know

[rob_prah__jr]: 14:09

h.

[jesse]: 14:10

those things are rooted in reality, but we tend to take everything as political people and put it on staroids. Right, you know, Because you got to knock people over with the message and you know, and it has, I think created your right. These just kind of

[rob_prah__jr]: 14:21

h. M.

[jesse]: 14:23

uh, you know, Republic and

[rob_prah__jr]: 14:24

Oh,

[jesse]: 14:24

Bad Democrat, good or vice versa, and it's become just kind of this In ary thing where it's not even that it used to be that you didn't agree with the other side. Now you just fundamentally don't trust them. You don't believe them. Um, And and you know, and we've seen how that even progressed even worse. And so My question for you based on that and based what you said is you know you talk about in the book a lot about civility, you know, and in this concept that people you don't think and tell me if I'm wrong, but

[rob_prah__jr]: 14:54

Oh

[jesse]: 14:54

the way I read it was, you don't think people inherently want to be part of it, But that's kind of what's fed to them.

[rob_prah__jr]: 15:02

Yeah, I think that's a pretty good way to summarize a lot of what I say, and I think that it's not necessarily social media that plays

[jesse]: 15:10

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 15:10

a huge factor in it, but I also think if you think back twenty years, if you were to just summarize and kind of put things together, we all want things now. Whether it's if you want to go on T. V, and you want to watch Labrons record setting game. The other it, you can go watch it now, even

[jesse]: 15:26

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 15:26

though it was the other day. If you want to go and watch something, Ah, that's going on in the other side of the world, you can go on your phone and watch that now if you have a conversation with somebody which I've never done that. but some people have actual full blown conversations and Facebook comments you

[jesse]: 15:43

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 15:43

know

[jesse]: 15:43

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 15:43

on a post.

[jesse]: 15:43

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 15:44

If you want to leave that conversation and go grab a cup of coffee, you walk away. That person that's that's waiting there to type. They don't know where you went That you might have. You might have went and put the kids to bed. You might have went went outside for a walk and sent Seven degrees here today. It's very hard to engage in some of these things because you want something. Now you want to know right now what it is about somebody. and I think, as it relates to politics and Canada is right now, where do they stand And it's who puts that information out first, and I share a lot of stories where I thought I was getting somewhere. you know. with some of these people. I still believe that I did, But then all of a sudden somebody sends a mail or both camps. Did it? Somebody put something on Facebook and add and and and it destroys everything that you had that Human interactive conversation with them. So I really think that a lot of it like the nucleus. There is. we all want something now, and whatever it is, you go online and you can find it, and however you shape it, if you want somebody to be, and in my case, which I am, you know, Pro Second Amendment, I believe in the most safest way you know. store your guns. I talk about, you know, the the little pieces of where I stand on on on guns and what not. But if you want Rob to be anti gun, You'll find something that Rob is anti gun

[jesse]: 17:02

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 17:02

like that's That's kind of where I'm getting at Is. it doesn't matter unless you have that conversation with somebody and I think so to get back to your comment Is I do believe, Because I had, I had a book signing event last week and I was talking about this guy. He actually lives down the road. About a quarter mile. He's mentioned in my book and we had a conversation. It was funny because I was in the middle of a story, not about him and he walked into Little conference room type thing and he said Member, When we talked about that that you know, said I said, Hey, It's in the book. I

[jesse]: 17:35

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 17:35

mean, I will never forget that conversation because

[jesse]: 17:37

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 17:37

he is a very very strong Republican, and when we had the conversation, this is post special election. So it was some time heading into the primary and things were, I don't want to say, opening up, but like I know, the gym was opened up a few hours and they were cleaning and everything. So it was a conversation at the gym, so it must have been summer of twenty twenty, But we had that conversation and he went and took a sign and and he put it In his yard, and with it with a Trump sign Right, So there was my side of his sign

[jesse]: 18:04

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 18:05

at which we're a lot around here, just you Southwestern P. But I really think it comes down to have in those conversations, and trying what I wrote in it in the book is to encourage people. I know it's not going to happen, but to really try to get to know your candidates. and especially at the local level, those borough

[jesse]: 18:21

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 18:21

councils, township supervisors, and everything like that, those folks can have an immediate impact on your day to day lives very quickly very Quickly.

[jesse]: 18:30

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 18:30

So rather than a state house and all the things you have to go through there, but yeah, I think you summarized it really well.

[jesse]: 18:39

So in your and so in your case, and you know that I can't even imagine twenty twenty was the one year, the one cycle that actually didn't really work in any campaigns. I was working for an organization called Progressive Turn Out Project is like and like a manager position. So I was, you know, Do, I wasn't going to be out in the field anyway. My thought was I could be effective because it was such an important cycle could work at a lot of different places, And so I and I took the job before Covid,

[rob_prah__jr]: 19:07

Oh,

[jesse]: 19:08

So I missed really the whole. You know what it was like to run a campaign in that

[rob_prah__jr]: 19:13

Oh,

[jesse]: 19:14

environment, And you know, you know, I know from talking to folks, but I can't even imagine the challenges that that you were facing, and one of the things about that is, you know by far the most effective way you know. Especially, I always say that I love. I love the State House as as

[rob_prah__jr]: 19:31

Oh,

[jesse]: 19:31

from a political point of view, because to me it feels like the highest level of government that you can run for. Still as a candidate, have a direct and direct impact on the outcome of the race,

[rob_prah__jr]: 19:44

h,

[jesse]: 19:45

As in, If you go out and bust your ass and knock on enough doors,

[rob_prah__jr]: 19:49

h,

[jesse]: 19:49

and really talk and connect with people,

[rob_prah__jr]: 19:52

Yah,

[jesse]: 19:52

you can have an impact. Doesn't be nesarlygonna. win right. But like anything bigger than that, it becomes just all about how much money you raise in the media, you know, and the media buys, and everything like that.

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:03

ah,

[jesse]: 20:03

So

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:04

Oh, h,

[jesse]: 20:06

what was it like? You know,

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:08

h,

[jesse]: 20:09

You know you're going to run for office. You're excited to do it. You're going to take that step right when you're like. Okay, You, you've talked to your family and your friends and you're like, Should I do this? Should I not do this? You have like the big thing. I'm going to do it. You get involved and then you know this once in a lifetime event happens to everybody. How did that impact?

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:29

h,

[jesse]: 20:29

Kind of how

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:30

h.

[jesse]: 20:30

you were able to campaign? What you know obviously limited what

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:34

M.

[jesse]: 20:34

you were able to do. And what do you

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:37

Oh,

[jesse]: 20:37

think? But for Covid, what do you think would have happened differently?

[rob_prah__jr]: 20:44

That's a tough question. I really think you know. the first one of the things you mentioned there is talking to your family about you, run and getting excited, amped up and everything that was the first. The first conversation I had was with my wife and our daughter was two months old. so this was going back to twenty nineteen when I decided because I knew that you know, in this area, I thought there was a really good chance to. we still had the vote registration numbers. They were in our favor. I felt like we were. You know, we were moving up the hill. There we, Starting at the bottom. So we already were in a good spot. We weren't standing down looking down on anybody. But we were half way up the hill and I thought this is a good opportunity. The state rap. He was one quarter common, please position. he lived close. There were a lot of people that I met even while he was in office when I had you know, not even really thought about running. that said Hey, you know, he's a great guy. We voted for him. I know people personally that were Democrats voted for him because he's local right. So

[jesse]: 21:42

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 21:42

you know the district Big, the fifty eighth. At that point, it's changed in the last year, but he's like that was the answer and I thought Okay, Well, that's that's good, too, because I'm you know, right down the street from him, literally within a mile. And so when I talked to my wife, I had to make sure she was on board, and then I had to make sure the family was on board, and I wrote a little bit about that in the book Where I had a big, you know, big gathering, friends and family, and I told him what I was going to do what I wasn't going to do. So you know, we put so much effort into that in twenty nineteen to get the name out there. Because the name, If you weren't from Smith or the Auk school district, where I went to school, I played sports, worked in the district, and you know, just knew a lot of people. That name was common. But if you go to another municipality,

[jesse]: 22:24

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 22:25

who is that guy? I may have ran into a Mayo knew him when he was the mayor. I knew the commissioners. I knew a lot of other. I knew that Maormoutplesnt. I knew a lot of people there, so I knew that I had to really get my name out there. I had to start early, and in which is what I did in twenty nineteen. So it? actually, it actually brought me to. How am I? I get my name out. There Is anybody going to come to an event for a guy that's not on the ballot A year out when you have big races, county commissioner, race twenty, nineteen, treasure the row offices. You have all this stuff. A lot of a lot of things going on. Are they going to? No, they're not going to come. So how do I do something? So that's when I decided to run around the district. Get some. get some exercise out of it and stop

[jesse]: 23:06

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 23:06

and meet people where they least expected on a country road in East Huntington Township or South Huntington Township. You know, I traveled eighty Plus miles running around which you know, the cover of the book There was you know was interesting, Was running out of time, running out of time. I thought

[jesse]: 23:22

M,

[rob_prah__jr]: 23:22

I needed to get all this stuff done, so we worked our tails off and I knew that I had to have for me to run. I had to have the state rap at the time win that quarter common place position, which he did.

[jesse]: 23:36

Hm.

[rob_prah__jr]: 23:37

I wasn't sure, I had a feeling he might win, but I wasn't sure I wasn't banking on it, so I knew that if he didn't then it would just be. I'd just go back Regular stuff. you know,

[jesse]: 24:24

Sure,

[rob_prah__jr]: 24:24

because I don't think I would have ran against him so hard to be at an incumbent anyway. So so I did that and twenty twenty It. It was so fast, You know, January twenty twenty was here. We had the special election nomination convention with the Democrats in the district. I won that one overwhelmingly

[jesse]: 24:45

So

[rob_prah__jr]: 24:45

for that.

[jesse]: 24:45

I meant to ask you about that. So the Democrats locally, you know, they kind of coalesce around you right. I mean they,

[rob_prah__jr]: 24:53

Yeah, and I think the thing is, and I talked a lot about my opponent Is as I did for that, that little piece of you know, two weeks or whatever it was, And then he changed parties to run as a Libertarian. An in the special, which was interesting, but then he just ran as a Democrat again here last year. But anyway, so yeahitthis, is this is a western pa.

[jesse]: 25:15

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 25:15

You know you're following it. So anyway, so I think that over that twenty nineteen, these these people got to know me for who I was, These Mitty members, elected officials. They got to know me for Rob. Okay, we talked a little bit about policy positions, but I mean generally speaking, education. What's important in the district? You know some of the common themes that we had, and that helped me. You know. moving into that January convention where where I had to get up there and speak and I talk about that. I was prepared. I was nervous and I won't give away too many secrets in the book here. But

[jesse]: 25:49

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 25:49

I've breached brief general officers. you know, members

[jesse]: 25:52

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 25:52

of Congress And I was. I was nervous that day. I mean, I was. I was sick in my stomach. I told my dad, I said I'm nervous.

[jesse]: 25:59

I know that feeling.

[rob_prah__jr]: 26:00

I'm never nervous about anything,

[jesse]: 26:01

I know that feeling.

[rob_prah__jr]: 26:02

but I was.

[jesse]: 26:02

yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 26:03

You know what I mean.

[jesse]: 26:03

yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 26:03

Like you go there and like, because you know that now this is in their hands. And if so, if you say something or somebody whispers to the next person like Hey, we got to go with the other guy. Then they whisper to the next one. You're out. All that stuff

[jesse]: 26:15

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 26:16

is done.

[jesse]: 26:16

yeah, yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 26:18

It was.

[jesse]: 26:18

you can blow it. heart beat right all that it doesn't matter O much. you prepare, and you would ever say one wrong thing, real or perceived, and that's it right. So yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 26:27

Yeah, So we did that And it was and it was as you could imagine. It was just every day long days after that, You know, I was sick for a short period of time. I think I might have had co, but I was. I mean, I was on the couch for three days straight. didn't move phone died. I mean, I was. I was out, but you know we busted our tails for a month and then that first week of March. I'll never forget it. It was just a. We went to the Democratic office in Green Berg and we had like a little morning hut. I think I took the kids to school and we were up there. I want to say it was a Thursday or Friday. I believe we were a little over a week and a half away, and I remember the campaign manager. He come over and I wasn't on my phone a lot. Believe it or not, you know, During the time I didn't have time, the other, my wife and I said, Hey, don't text. Just please call me if you need something, but he said Hey, We got a problem. The state or you know somebody else. We're canceling all the canvassing today Tomorrow in this weekend I was like, Are you serious? As like what the is going on? I said. This was our biggest get out the vote weekend that we had planned. I mean, we had some some big names coming in for that and it was like in that moment it was like somebody poked the balloon and all the air just came out like you know, If asked it, it comes out within two seconds. Not even and it was out and I didn't know what was going. Said, What are we going to do Because I'm asking this question like right now you would feel like it's a retorical question, because no one would really give you an answer, But he gave me an answer. he said we got to keep going. I said, What are we going to do? He said, We're just going to go. We're gonna put it on the door. We're goin to urry up and get some bags. We just can't knock. They don't want to knock. And it was like it was just like you felt like something you know happened

[jesse]: 28:08

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 28:08

And you know that's when we started seeing the brief Ings on T V. The The Mask up The two weeks. let's let's flat in the curve deal, and every day or two it was like That's not going to be two weeks. It's not going to be two weeks, and people are sick. You know, National Guard got called up. You know all this stuff was happening And we were all thinking like, Hey, can we push this back? Can we change this election? Is there any way and I believe the Speaker of the House at that point said No, You know it's it's It's set and we tried. I think you know, just trying to find ways to really really work around it and try to be creative with it. But it was an interesting time. It was it.

[jesse]: 28:51

Do you think that that those challenges that come with that Disproportionately hurt you compared to your opponent? Because there's you know you anyway. that's done this before. There's always this kind of feeling that like Democrats are the ones that like out in the field and we win when we're You know, we value a field operation more than Republicans do. And so to me you know, My thought is that in twenty twenty Democrats really were hurt by more than Republicans

[rob_prah__jr]: 29:23

Yeah,

[jesse]: 29:24

by the inability to get out there. But as someone who, On the ground, I mean, what are your thoughts on that?

[rob_prah__jr]: 29:29

yeah, I don't know if I and again, I don't want to get away too many secrets of the book here, but

[jesse]: 29:34

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 29:34

I don't think that I would come close to saying that Without Covid or with it, you know that it really impacted the election. Turn out the well, take, take a back to turn out the actual results.

[jesse]: 29:46

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 29:46

The turnout. I, I do, because there are some stories I shared. You know, the real emails, real texts that folks sent me.

[jesse]: 29:52

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 29:52

that just they just could. I mean my neighbors. you know, they text me, say I can't. I got two kids. Now, this is like I said, It's a week and a half and we're seeing

[jesse]: 30:02

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 30:03

all the stuff on the new schools are closed. working remote. Are you going to come stand in line for you know, depending on the precinct, Ten fifteen minutes for a couple of No.

[jesse]: 30:15

It

[rob_prah__jr]: 30:15

And

[jesse]: 30:15

was. It

[rob_prah__jr]: 30:15

so

[jesse]: 30:15

was just too big of an ask.

[rob_prah__jr]: 30:17

yeah, it's just. it's just too much and so, but we, we had one hell of a ground game with the volunteers, and I know that I don't think that anybody could argue that you know for Two two camps there that we, we all worked them. We were out there. You know, putting the mouths on knocking the doors, The feedback that we were tracking was overwhelmingly positive. I, I remember asking, Said You still think we have a chance, and this is within three or four days. I said you still think we have a chance. And of course the answer was Yes, we do, because we wanted to keep working hard. But as the days progressed, I mean I was getting. I was getting more fatigued. Obviously because

[jesse]: 30:57

Sure,

[rob_prah__jr]: 30:58

you know we're talking fifty sixty. Is it this ad you get down there? And it's like when that election came that day, and we and we saw the low turn out and we were looking at numbers. In one of the stories of the book, Here was my, my grandfather's friend, Bill. He was helping in mines, and it was a precinct that two hunder. Some voters, you know, ninety six percent Democrats. I mean, we had. we, just we were calling. We need thirty percent turn out, which is high for a special,

[jesse]: 31:28

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 31:29

but we said if we can And over there in these in these big airs, Manesse and Janet, they can't catch us there. They're not going to be able to catch us, But the numbers were coming in. You know, we're getting calls from these precincts. Seven voters,

[jesse]: 31:44

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 31:45

twelve voters.

[jesse]: 31:46

yeah, and to be clear for the people listening, we were talking about the special election. right so? And you make a great point, And I hadn't really thought of it when you look at the time line. I mean, really. could you have picked like? Could there have been a worse date for this right? like, In retrospect, If you had to go back to pick the worst day possible

[rob_prah__jr]: 32:06

Oh,

[jesse]: 32:07

for a special election like mid March, twenty twenty, I mean, it was it because it was bad

[rob_prah__jr]: 32:14

Oh,

[jesse]: 32:14

That everything was just shutting down and everybody was in that shock of like, Oh my God, is this real? Like What is this last sometigot of a movie? But we were far

[rob_prah__jr]: 32:22

h.

[jesse]: 32:22

enough into it that you're like. this is no joke, Right and everybody know. but we didn't know enough about you know. I remember, you know. I always think back to like you know. Go into the grocery store and like, I'm like wearing gloves, and like all because you're like. How the hell do you get this virus? What we didn't know? You know, nobody knew, So you're right to ask people to go out

[rob_prah__jr]: 32:44

H.

[jesse]: 32:44

Vote in what would be a normally a low turnout election anyway, And but doing it during that period of time where it's by November right, we were like you. We were able to do a vote by mail operation. We knew a lot more. There was a lot. you know what. I mean, it was a whole different kind of thing. but like it really was like the worst possible time you could have ever asked to come out,

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:08

It was

[jesse]: 33:09

And

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:09

you know.

[jesse]: 33:10

so, and I guess to follow up on that is

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:14

Oh,

[jesse]: 33:15

so, Do you think that part of the problem was for for

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:23

Oh,

[jesse]: 33:23

you as a Democrat was the kind of

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:26

yeah,

[jesse]: 33:28

reckless abandon

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:28

Yeah,

[jesse]: 33:29

that some of the Republicans were messaging about Covid early on? You know what I mean like that, you know, the whole, uh, you know, the kind of You know, I think based on what I saw that year, you know, and obviously it got much more politicized as we went on more about when to come back and and all that kind of stuff, But it felt as though just Democrats took it more seriously, and I hate

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:54

ah,

[jesse]: 33:54

to generalize like that, but I don't think that's an over generalization right. Felt like Democrats were

[rob_prah__jr]: 33:58

Oh,

[jesse]: 33:58

taking it more seriously, Because you have to remember, at the time Trump was standing in the White House briefing room saying it's nothing. It will be gone in a week And you know this whole thing down. Playing it. My you know Question is do you think that Republican voters were following that and saying it's fine, I can go vote where as Democrats were, A, being cautious based on the science, and B, not trusting what Trump was saying, Right and they're like, No, I'm just going to stay home and sit this one out.

[rob_prah__jr]: 34:31

I don't know how to really answer that because that last week, when that when when Covid came out, I don't remember much of the politicization of that because it was we were just trying to get folks to go vote.

[jesse]: 34:45

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 34:45

I don't remember to be fair. I don't remember much of you know. one party versus the other. I mean, we were very at that point within that week. Now, Obviously, like you said, as we got, we got into April and May. it was just it really did Are political at that point, and I remember seeing videos of after my opponent that time after he won. This was in end of in March, In the early April. Now he was standing on the street, having truck drivers Hank at him, holding up a sign saying about No masks, no freedom. That when all that stuff started, you

[jesse]: 35:21

Uh,

[rob_prah__jr]: 35:21

remember so you know, I don't remember it during the special,

[jesse]: 35:26

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 35:26

but I know that we were very. We were very cautious Because the thing that I think is important for for those that are watching it if they remember that election was to incumbents. So it's a special or there's no incombents. It's

[jesse]: 35:38

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 35:38

especial.

[jesse]: 35:38

open,

[rob_prah__jr]: 35:39

So you have two people That and even as I wrote in the book, we were from when I was from Smith, and about a mile and a half two miles from each other, we had a lot of the same friends. In the same

[jesse]: 35:49

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 35:50

we weren't friends. Our circles didn't overlap, but overlap with others. And so it was a. Really. It was interesting to how do you try to get these From? like say, on the other end of the district in Genet or Hem field, or even mines, which was close. That turnout was so incredibly low. How do you? how do you get those? Now? we had a lot in genetandmenes, in lot of high rises, Elderly, You know, those populated city centers of the two big areas within the district. At that time low turnouts. so, but I don't remember much about Hey, stay in, Go vote versus that. I know that we were very cautious for the The voters to make sure that we weren't knocking their doors. And you know, standing up to their face,

[jesse]: 36:33

Right

[rob_prah__jr]: 36:33

You know, trying to tell them why they need to come vote for me. We hit the phones is as hard as we could, but again people were worried about themselves and their family, which you can't blame them. So all

[jesse]: 36:44

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 36:44

of our volunteers. the numbers just went down. All that stuff was canceled. We had one or two events scheduled that week end that get out to vote weekends, Some big events that we actually had to cancel, And then we had a big rally. It was called Rally in the valley.

[jesse]: 36:59

I'm familiar

[rob_prah__jr]: 36:59

I think

[jesse]: 36:59

with the

[rob_prah__jr]: 36:59

it

[jesse]: 36:59

rally

[rob_prah__jr]: 36:59

was

[jesse]: 36:59

in the valley. I've been to the

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:01

yet.

[jesse]: 37:01

rally in the valley on occasion.

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:03

We had one scheduled. We had the big names coming in and canceled. We had all this stuff and it was just like you can tell that like all that area was out of a balloon. In terms of that,

[jesse]: 37:16

What was the? What was the percentage in the special?

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:21

Ah, it was about thirty five, thirty six percent

[jesse]: 37:25

That was.

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:25

or no for for the results

[jesse]: 37:27

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:27

or the

[jesse]: 37:27

Yeah, for the result.

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:29

Yeah. He. I only had about thirty six percent. He did a lot better than we expected.

[jesse]: 37:34

So going into that you obviously then had because it Wa an open seat. You know, I'm sure you had you know the H. d, C, C, and you know you know kind of the top level organization. Did they think it was a winnable race? I mean to they. did they

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:49

Special

[jesse]: 37:50

invest

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:50

or

[jesse]: 37:50

in it

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:50

heading,

[jesse]: 37:50

like it

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:50

heading

[jesse]: 37:50

was?

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:51

into special.

[jesse]: 37:52

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 37:53

Well, I think so, I think when you look at at the candidates, if you look at them individually and you look at, you know, he, just he switched parties three or four years ago. You know, with that that switch after twenty six teen. Really, when there was a big influx of

[jesse]: 38:10

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 38:11

Republicans from Democrat, but we really thought we had a chance. If you were to, we went to a couple events. we both spoke. I had lay Were behind me. I had every which you know group you could possibly think of, and the comments were Hey, you're you're very well spoken, articulate, you know your your topics. you know, you have a vision and a goal and again, you know I'm not going to. You know this isn't about him. But there were some. There was some differences between the two of us

[jesse]: 38:40

Sure,

[rob_prah__jr]: 38:40

and we felt good. I mean, I was actually in the book without without giving. Thou keep saying

[jesse]: 38:47

All

[rob_prah__jr]: 38:47

that,

[jesse]: 38:47

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 38:47

because there's so many little stories within, but I, S actually happy that he was the candidate at that time when he was selected from the Republican convention, because I actually thought the lady that was a, that was the other person was running would really beat me terribly. I, just because she was, she was a very solid candidate. And and then you know, in the book you could see what she said about him. I mean, it was just she was. She was shocked at the outcome of the how they did theirs,

[jesse]: 39:17

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 39:17

their their selection proces, But so I was, I was relieved, which is interesting because he kind of blew me out of the water unexpectedly and I was just and I think it was the d verse r. That's why I talk about that all the time. Is that when you talk to people face to face when you have those conversations, and this happens all the time that you get to know a candidate and you really can see you know the difference there versus just what. What is labeling them? One thing I always tell people is that you imagine walking around with a Sticker on your shirt, or maybe something that's sown on there every day, Like a uniform that has d r, R.

[jesse]: 39:56

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 39:57

the reactions you would get if you go into the grocery store, or you know the gym, you would have people, and it would probably happen more towards. I would say, you know, I'm just being general here, but probably more towards Democrats, because I had people drive by, yell and obscenities. The worst one was in mines and know my family was outside with me and

[jesse]: 40:18

M.

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:18

my mom said. Who do you think Said I have? No. I mean, it could be anybody, but it's it's like. Why would you do that? You know you're just it was it was. It was tough you know to see that and you had people. The on social media was a mess. You know, you had these people that were constantly writing stuff, And

[jesse]: 40:37

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:38

it was just and then you would see the battles. You have

[jesse]: 40:41

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:41

your your

[jesse]: 40:41

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:41

friends on there right and back at. you know, the one thing they said is don't engage and I never engaged. Never got involved in that, but It was it was tough.

[jesse]: 40:51

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:51

It was tough

[jesse]: 40:52

especially at that time of year that period of time because everybody was like home on

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:56

There

[jesse]: 40:56

the

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:56

home.

[jesse]: 40:56

internet. right, Nobody, anything better to do? No,

[rob_prah__jr]: 40:59

Everybody's at home.

[jesse]: 40:59

you're right And I've always said that, I think the one legacy of Trumpism that was that has really kind of poisoned our politics. Is that the way, forget his policies, just the way Ump conducted himself, just gave everybody permission to be the worst versions of themselves when it can, Specially when it came to politics.

[rob_prah__jr]: 41:22

Oh,

[jesse]: 41:23

And it really

[rob_prah__jr]: 41:24

ah,

[jesse]: 41:24

you know that you know you're right that

[rob_prah__jr]: 41:26

Oh,

[jesse]: 41:26

there's that level of civility you know,

[rob_prah__jr]: 41:29

Oh

[jesse]: 41:30

kind of in the know, in the political arena that you know. when I came up, you know the early two thousands it was. I'm not going to sit here and say it wasn't nasty at times and back and forth, but it was

[rob_prah__jr]: 41:44

yeah,

[jesse]: 41:45

nothing like what it is now. No, I mean, it is miles and miles

[rob_prah__jr]: 41:50

Oh,

[jesse]: 41:50

and miles Way from it. Um, you know, when I first got to like that it was you. It was two thousand six. You know, we were like. Social media

[rob_prah__jr]: 41:57

h.

[jesse]: 41:57

wasn't really a thing yet, you know, like I had a blog like, and that was considered insanely cutting edge, right it? But you know the ability for going back to what you said. Originally

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:07

h.

[jesse]: 42:08

this idea of like instant,

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:09

Oh,

[jesse]: 42:11

you know that everything has to happen right then and there, and I think a lot of that you know what it sounds like you're telling me. is you know if people don't

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:18

Oh,

[jesse]: 42:18

meet you and have a chance to have

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:20

Oh,

[jesse]: 42:20

that like a form, Actual opinion of you were so quick to to try to get people to make snap judgments

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:29

Oh,

[jesse]: 42:30

right. And I think if you see

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:32

Oh,

[jesse]: 42:32

a lot of the political content now you know it's really designed to.

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:35

Oh

[jesse]: 42:36

I'm going. I'm going to say something about this person and it's going to. It's going to poison the

[rob_prah__jr]: 42:40

h.

[jesse]: 42:40

way. It's going. No, define how you think of them now from that point on and to undo that because then we get stuck into confirmation bias to undo that that becomes really hard. you know, and one of them Things that I always drive home to every candidate I work with as you know. Step one, define yourself, step to define your opponent. And you know I got that from an old Washington County practitioner of politics,

[rob_prah__jr]: 43:05

h. Oh

[jesse]: 43:06

and I've carried it with me for years and years and years because it's so true that those first impressions really do matter. And I think that what you're saying about social media especially is it's just it's just made it so much easier to Make those those kind of solicit or elicit their snap judgment from people.

[rob_prah__jr]: 43:27

Yeah. when you talk about civility, I think really, what I think about often is so my grandparents, my mother's mother and my father's mother died. you know when I was young, so you know they haven't been around to see any of this stuff. I'm sure they're probably thinking When the heck do it, But You always want to make your parents proud. you know, so if you have your parents, you definitely want to make them proud like that's that and your spouse

[jesse]: 43:53

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 43:53

and things like that. But how would you? How would your grandparents? Because I think sometimes at least you know from what I have seen your grandparents like my grand grandfather is sometimes very very honest with

[jesse]: 44:05

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:05

me,

[jesse]: 44:06

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:06

whether it's I'm proud of you or when we were younger. Don't talk to your parents that way, you know,

[jesse]: 44:11

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:11

or

[jesse]: 44:11

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:11

yes, like your parents, they're there to try to make you a better person. and you know, help You out and do all this magical wonderful stuff like I do with our kids. How would your pa your grandparents feel if you were talking to someone or treating them that way? That's just the way I look at. right. So these

[jesse]: 44:29

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:29

people that were, they were just downright nasty. You know, do you think that your grandparents would would think that's appropriate behavior?

[jesse]: 44:36

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:36

Okay, So that's

[jesse]: 44:36

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:36

like Part one. Part two is, how would you justify to your children?

[jesse]: 44:42

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:42

At least that's the way that I

[jesse]: 44:43

yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 44:43

look at it. You know having two young girls right now. If because social media, I'm sure in some shape or form will evolve over the next ten fifteen years, it will be something ompleally crazy, Might not even know what it will be. But there's people that live around us that use social media And it's F. this. it's you know, and it's usually political political. Okay If your kids could see you writing and talking like that, would they be proud of you? Okay? Like

[jesse]: 45:12

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:12

so,

[jesse]: 45:13

right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:13

I just have a hard time with you know.

[jesse]: 45:16

Well, you know

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:16

I

[jesse]: 45:16

you're

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:16

just Isn't raised that way.

[jesse]: 45:18

No, and

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:18

To

[jesse]: 45:18

you know

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:18

be. you have to be respectful towards people if you disagree with them. Fine, but there's a love. There's there has to be like a line in the sand. says B. disagree. Okay and then be a total. Whatever you want to say,

[jesse]: 45:31

Jag off will use Southwestern P terminology.

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:34

Go jag

[jesse]: 45:34

Uh,

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:34

off pirates and stealers

[jesse]: 45:35

yes,

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:35

right behind me. Jag

[jesse]: 45:36

so

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:36

off so

[jesse]: 45:37

yeah, and the I think what it goes to is, you know. I think the problem is you and I are operating from a base. This, this thought of that, they re our opponents doghtor enemies right. unfortunately, I

[rob_prah__jr]: 45:52

Yes,

[jesse]: 45:52

think that what we've been what we've seen is you know again as a by product of Trump ism, but I'm going to go even further And I think that in Western Pa, there's there's evidence to really support this. You know, Trumpism

[rob_prah__jr]: 46:07

Oh,

[jesse]: 46:07

was kind of the tipping point, but to me, from what I saw, it was in twenty ten with the T party. That's when you saw in South western Pa. Especially,

[rob_prah__jr]: 46:17

Oh

[jesse]: 46:18

you know, we lost all of those

[rob_prah__jr]: 46:20

yeah,

[jesse]: 46:20

seats in the state House. We lost a ton of them

[rob_prah__jr]: 46:23

Yeah,

[jesse]: 46:24

and you started to see that like defiant, And you know it's no coincidence that had you know a lot of it was back last year Gainst dope Man, you know, being on the ground there, you saw racism come out in ways you never would have imagined from people before Democrats, too. It was. It

[rob_prah__jr]: 46:39

I,

[jesse]: 46:39

was wild to see. Uh, and you started to see that back last at twenty ten, you know, and that defiant you know, we're going to go into your town hall meeting and raise hell and do whatever, And it just kind of you became this big build up and at some point it became this thing where there you know Democrats are evil. They're out to get, So they're trying to change you, and they try to grab that mantle of patriotism. You know that the Democrats or anybody that didn't

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:08

Oh,

[jesse]: 47:08

agree with them were something else, something different, and I think that in their minds it got to the point where You as

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:20

Oh,

[jesse]: 47:20

a Democrat running for office, because you, in their mind represented

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:24

ah,

[jesse]: 47:24

such a clear and present danger

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:25

Yeah,

[jesse]: 47:26

to their way of life,

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:27

yeah,

[jesse]: 47:28

you were no

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:28

Oh,

[jesse]: 47:29

longer an opponent. You were an enemy. Therefore you were not entitled to that same level of respect, Right like you, you know that's

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:38

h.

[jesse]: 47:38

the problem like we don't.

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:40

h.

[jesse]: 47:40

We weren't being seen the same way. Therefore you re entitled to that level of respect. So there's none of that. There's no Me to it right. They feel no shame or no remorse like that's just you know. this is what they're supposed

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:54

h.

[jesse]: 47:54

to do.

[rob_prah__jr]: 47:57

Yeah. it really did come down to that. I mean, I've told a lot of people that We just ran at the same time

[jesse]: 48:04

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 48:05

we both voluntarily. At least I was voluntarily into this with the family we both ran. It's not that if you read and I'm speaking to anybody, that's going to watch this. If they read the end of the book, it will summarize how I felt and how it was with my opponents. Because I wasn't super critical of him during the during the race. I didn't have time. There were things we clearly disagreed on,

[jesse]: 48:30

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 48:30

you know, hands down a lot of thing, Actually, and you know the way that the just the whole political machine was with Run and Things and what not. But some people have actually asked me. It hasn't been recently, but twenty twenty one. Mostly when we started getting back together with folks. Why did you hate him? Well, who said? I hated you Know like

[jesse]: 48:51

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 48:51

well, I never said I hated him. We ran at the same time. I mean,

[jesse]: 48:54

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 48:54

I don't know what to tell you. What I wanted to do for you Is the voter was. I wanted you to see. the clear differences in Our answers were on a debate,

[jesse]: 49:04

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 49:04

and in the book I talked about the debate in twenty twenty that I sent him a letter. It was a very professional, well written letter that I still have a copy of Just asking him to debate That we will have from one from each camp If they want to do. I ask questions.

[jesse]: 49:21

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 49:22

But let's just ask it and let's debate it out. We're not timed to a half hour. Take commercial breaks where you know. Let's just do it and record it because if you asked me a, And where I stand on public education school vouchers, you know, whatever it is on guns, that at least gives some of the voters an opportunity to see where you stand and who you are, Because when I was working at the poles, and you probably can relate to this when I was working at the at the precinct for November, which you know I knew was probably a very slim chance to pull it off. We were hoping that you know all the Democrats came out. Get some independent hand. You know, maybe two three hundred Republicans just A mile. I might be a poll off, but people said. who are you? I said Hey, I'm on the ballet. You

[jesse]: 50:09

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 50:09

know, I live down the road because I wenthrough the largest precinct which is ours in the township. Here I said I was in this, my third elect. Yer was kind of funny, you know, because there was three elections, but people don't even know who you are.

[jesse]: 50:20

Great,

[rob_prah__jr]: 50:20

Your name in your face and to their defense, most people don't pay attention. We do,

[jesse]: 50:27

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 50:27

but a lot of people don't, And what they do is they make you the enemy. If you are That party, and if you you know on social media just kills me. Sometimes I see people just bash in the Democratic Party that, if you are Aline with the Democrats, that you are the enemy of the country

[jesse]: 50:45

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 50:46

and I just sometimes you know I do. I do the scroll in bought, and I'll be the first to say, especially publicly is I've deluded people on Facebook over the last two or three years,

[jesse]: 50:57

Oh,

[rob_prah__jr]: 50:57

because

[jesse]: 50:57

yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 50:57

it's like

[jesse]: 50:58

yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:00

I do only have Facebook. In this, The truth, I put in the book, Because when I was in college, just to connect

[jesse]: 51:05

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:06

with students with friends and went to other schools and a way to network. And what? not? Because linked in wasn't there. But I've deluded so many people. And then you have the you run into somewhere like. Are we still friends? What do you Alki about?

[jesse]: 51:18

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:18

You know,

[jesse]: 51:19

yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:19

I delated you because I don't feel like reading your stuff. That's not why I go on there to read your misspelled, uninformed, Just completely bogus nonsense. There's people that live around us that I know that if we delete hem, it's going to be like. Well, Why De Deledus? I

[jesse]: 51:38

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:38

thought we were neighbors and but so read, Some of their stuff is like, and it goes back to your kids because we

[jesse]: 51:43

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:43

all have kids, too.

[jesse]: 51:43

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:44

And it's like

[jesse]: 51:44

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:45

if your kids could read and comprehend, you know our daughters. you know. for so she's starting to put some stuff together, but she hears things and she understands and she can sense you know the emotions of how you're talking to somebody

[jesse]: 51:57

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 51:57

if your kids read that. But so these people close, It's like what is wrong with you,

[jesse]: 52:02

Yeah, you're

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:03

But it is the enemy. It's made out to be that, if you are that other, if you're not, if you don't believe what I believe, which is why I love our country and why I love the process, Because what you believe, you can't force that on me,

[jesse]: 52:19

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:19

and I will never force my beliefs on you. We will. We will come together, as the same party may be, agree on a couple issues, disagree on a couple issues, and we'll be united. You may have the parties, other than you know the other night on T. V, which was? It's become a joke. I think at this point

[jesse]: 52:38

Honestly, I didn't even watch the State of the Union.

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:41

I've

[jesse]: 52:41

I

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:41

only

[jesse]: 52:41

watched

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:41

watched

[jesse]: 52:41

a Hawk

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:41

highlights.

[jesse]: 52:41

game and I watched Hawke Game instead, To admit it, but I was like, You know what if something insane happens, I'll read about it, but you know it's pomp and circumstance

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:49

Yeah, and it's and

[jesse]: 52:50

in.

[rob_prah__jr]: 52:50

it's And that's just the way it's becomes that you know with the country like we will be united. We were united on nine eleven. we were united. You know, on many other times in our history is a country, but we live this day to day this stuff that I'm a firm believer you. Now you're on this earth one time and you make the best of it. There's you know all the other, you know, whatever you believe in, and all that stuff is, But make the best of it. Don't be miserable Every day. And some of these people you see it on social media, it's like Is that all you think about all day long? I mean, we all have our opinions and we want to make make sure we have social security. We want to make sure that now the court rolling of education, and these you know, some of these parts of the cities in Pittsburg and Philadelphia are funded. I mean, the list goes on of issues and issues that we need to do better at, But it's really at the end of the day. If you were to summarize everything and why I ran is that we need to make this a better place than we found it. Ether. It's one thing, or it's a hundred things. we need to come together and stop the diverse our stuff. You know, Because that does separate us with our views. I understand that, but it is. it is becoming a a very big problem. families are broken up. relate friends and relationships. I'm sure there's going to be court cases down the road with. I've never noticed working in the An. employment. Now that some of the questions you see on surveys are, Are you treated based on your political beliefs Because there's going to be some case law on if there isn't already

[jesse]: 54:25

Hm.

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:25

on retaliation of your political beliefs. And what are you doing at work? How are you talking? How are your conversations going? You know, I have those hard conversations about being a pirates fan, you know, let

[jesse]: 54:34

Hey,

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:34

alone

[jesse]: 54:35

I

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:35

when

[jesse]: 54:35

hear

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:35

you're talking

[jesse]: 54:35

you.

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:35

when you're talking politics. but

[jesse]: 54:37

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:37

it's

[jesse]: 54:37

I

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:37

just

[jesse]: 54:37

hear

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:37

so devisive. you know. it really is

[jesse]: 54:40

Yeah. we could talk about the misery of being a Pirates fan in here just to just

[rob_prah__jr]: 54:45

Nice.

[jesse]: 54:46

yeah. I mean, I'm trying to. you know my eight year olds of ball play are a pretty good one, too, And you know I've done this horrible thing of making him a Pirates fan. And it's just I feel horrible about it. That's a whole other issue. But

[rob_prah__jr]: 55:01

Yeah,

[jesse]: 55:01

but so, but here's the question I have about that because I think it really kind of sums up this kind of Moral dilemma that Democrats both as a party and individually have Is you know, we're basically saying like you know it shouldn't be this way right. But to some extent aren't we kind of taking like a sling shot to a knife fight or a gun fight, Because if the other side isn't

[rob_prah__jr]: 55:30

Oh,

[jesse]: 55:30

going to stop And there are real things at stake, right and the real constantly elections have consequences. You know, there's if I'm a Republican, there's nothing I want nothing more than for

[rob_prah__jr]: 55:46

Oh,

[jesse]: 55:46

Democrats to be like. Well, we need to work together. We need to do whatever, And then it sounds good, and then we get our asses kicked on Election Day

[rob_prah__jr]: 55:54

Oh,

[jesse]: 55:54

and we watch a slide. We watch the back slide. You know, I mean that's the, and I struggle with that because on some days I'm like that's the way it should be, and on some days I'm like. You know what If that

[rob_prah__jr]: 56:05

M.

[jesse]: 56:05

beat them at their own game. Let's get tough. Let's get real and call them out on their bullshit. You know, but that involves going in the mud right? I mean, it's just you know, getting in the fox hole or whatever you want to call it like you gotta, You got to get real in order to do that. And and I think, quite frankly, a lot of Democrats at the candidate level and things like that. I don't think they have the stomach for it. sometimes. Um,

[rob_prah__jr]: 56:30

Yeah,

[jesse]: 56:31

so how do you? I mean, how do we reconcile that? I mean, There's no answer here, but I mean, I mean how do you do that?

[rob_prah__jr]: 56:39

It takes. it takes a special person to run. I will tell you, just knowing first hand, and speaking of my experience, the stuff that you go through, you know you have to. I think you have to do some sort of self awareness check, mental mental health,

[jesse]: 56:53

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 56:54

You know, which is very important, and I think you really need to check on yourself and have others check on you too. I think if I were to ever talk to somebody, It's running for office. I would never turn turn away. I think that it's It's a great experience. I think it's that we need people That want to be there that

[jesse]: 57:10

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 57:10

really want to go out and do it for themselves. not because they switch parties and can win next month or whatever it is, but you need to make sure you have that strong foundation from your family and friends, And when I, when I talk about that with with all the nastiness and things like that, and really a lot of my stories, Kind of they either come full circle, a couple of them. Kind of you know, Sale off, but there's but there's a theme that I take when I talk to people about the book is getting to know the person. I've said that a few Times now some of my very best friends are Republicans and they can't stand the President now, which we would disagree. But we don't sit. We don't sit and text about our issues Because I do want to believe and they might watch this. You know, I don't know, but that's not the most important thing right now in our life. It's let's go take the kids together somewhere. Let's

[jesse]: 58:06

That's

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:06

go

[jesse]: 58:06

That's

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:06

on a

[jesse]: 58:06

not

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:06

guy's

[jesse]: 58:07

the kind of relationship

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:07

let's go.

[jesse]: 58:08

you have with them like that's a lot

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:09

Yeah,

[jesse]: 58:09

where your

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:09

let's

[jesse]: 58:09

relationship

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:10

go

[jesse]: 58:10

is built

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:10

golfing.

[jesse]: 58:10

on

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:10

Let's go do something else. and I think that you know you, you have to have those friends to support you Because you when when it's all over, Like after the election halfway through the book Here, and it's embarrassing to say, because you know I didn't fall to this, but I found myself and it was kind of a joke at one point with my friends, but I started

[jesse]: 58:35

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:35

drinking. Covid was here. I like myself a nice glass of whiskey like anybody else, or you know, a cold beer to pirate game for fourteen bucks or whatever.

[jesse]: 58:43

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:43

But if you don't have somebody that that support network to help you and to see you know changes because it is you know, running for office can change can change you, you know,

[jesse]: 58:55

Hell, yeah, I mean,

[rob_prah__jr]: 58:57

And and I'm saying that very lightly like it's I only did it three times and in nine months or whatever, But you have to hae, That's support network because it's a. it's a. it's a. It's a lot. it's a. It's an up and down every single day.

[jesse]: 59:12

It really is and you really hit on it. And you know I've been out of the game for a while now, and I still keep the the The therapist industry a well, well, well at work. But you know it's funny because you know I did it. You know I started. I was like the young guy ascending, and everybody is like. Oh, this guy is a hard charger and everything. And then you know all hell breaks loose Because when you get in the and actually start to do something and then, but you hit

[rob_prah__jr]: 59:40

Oh

[jesse]: 59:40

on a part of it that I don't think It's talked about. enough. is this?

[rob_prah__jr]: 59:43

h,

[jesse]: 59:44

You know when when you have that kind of wall of support of family and friends behind you it is. it's that essential basis like you never have to watch your back right because they've got you there there. you're back,

[rob_prah__jr]: 59:56

h.

[jesse]: 59:56

you know, and I went through

[rob_prah__jr]: 59:57

h.

[jesse]: 59:58

a scenario where you know my mother, who was like mentally ill

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:00:01

Oh,

[jesse]: 1:00:01

and had all these drug problems and everything else, filed a bullshit lawsuit against me while I was a candidate, Right and it was You know, and it was like followed by some garbage lawyer and given to the media, I didn't even know about it. I found out from a reporter. But when that happens, and even though you know, the thing went away because it was garbage and you know it didn't matter. It was designed. It was designed when the people

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:00:26

Oh,

[jesse]: 1:00:26

around you know we can really mess with you right by doing that. And now you have to wonder. you have to wonder who you can trust and what's going on and have to explain. You know why? Why would your own mother turn on you? And it

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:00:42

Oh,

[jesse]: 1:00:42

You're right. It takes what is already a a

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:00:45

Oh,

[jesse]: 1:00:45

very stressful process and turns it

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:00:49

Oh,

[jesse]: 1:00:49

totally on its head. And because you're

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:00:52

Oh,

[jesse]: 1:00:53

you're just kind of exposed. Right when you're a candidate, you're everything about you is fair game and real or imagined, And you know you're right. It is such a, you know, it is such an important thing to have that that support system around you, and I think That's something that doesn't get quite frankly talked about, enough right in terms of the well ness aspect of it, and what it's you know if you do it right if you actually give a damn right

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:01:22

h. Oh,

[jesse]: 1:01:23

what you're in for, And I think part of that doesn't get talked about quite frankly because it would really screw up our recruitment efforts right. Like who's goin to know

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:01:31

Oh,

[jesse]: 1:01:31

what I mean? Like you know. Well, let me ask you this what you thought running for office was going to be like, And the reality of it. How far apart of those two things having been through it now.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:01:42

I would probably have to break it down to a couple of different categories to be honest,

[jesse]: 1:01:46

M

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:01:46

but I think if you were to just kind of put it all together, probably pretty close to be fair, I

[jesse]: 1:01:53

Okay,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:01:53

knew that, for example, one day this was during cove. this would have been summer at twenty twenty. Sometimes you have to look in the book for the date, But there was a local restaurant that everybody was doing. Take out right, So you had to you had to get take out. There's no Sitting at the bar. Some. did you know whatever? But

[jesse]: 1:02:11

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:02:12

I went down there and I got food after running and I was in gym clothes, so I can tell you what I was doing based on what I was wearing that day, and it's funny because some people like over the years have called me Fetterman, Because I wear this. I have five pairs of the same shorts. Their

[jesse]: 1:02:27

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:02:27

call

[jesse]: 1:02:28

right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:02:28

shorts, Okay, their gym shorts and I wear em to the gym every every day,

[jesse]: 1:02:31

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:02:31

but their different pair. So I have running shorts too, So I knew I was running. I went down there to get food to go, and I had a beer. After running like six miles or something absurd,

[jesse]: 1:02:42

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:02:42

Somebody took a picture and I don't use tiktok, But it was on Tik Tok or something, and somebody looking taking a picture of it and I thought this is like Do I want to be everywhere I go? Is somebody snapping a picture? If I'm goin a pir a game and I got my, you know with my buddies or something. I'm walking with, you know, a big pounder or something, and somebody there

[jesse]: 1:03:02

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:03:02

there he is. you know, So I knew that would be there. I wasn't sure to what extent it would be there, but I would say it's pretty close. I wasn't sure how the money would really factor in in terms of how much it would cost for the campaign. How much we would actually raise. How the ins and outs of the H. d, C, C worked. How the campaign or volunteers worked. I went back to Smith, and where we knocked every door, if you were Democrat or republican, But that you can't do that now because you're not going.

[jesse]: 1:03:34

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:03:34

you know under the house and doors. I mean whatever it is, So probably Pretty close Because I just had an idea. you know. I thought this through. so

[jesse]: 1:03:45

Well, I mean honestly, that's a higher level of awareness I think than most candidates have when they start. Um, so you know, and to get back to kind of tlknabout after the special, You know, at that point, given the way that turned out, I'm guessing did at that point, did like H, d, C, C. Party support, kind of like dry up after that.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:04:08

Yeah, it felt you know. I mean, I know that they have. They have a mission and we didn't accomplish that mission of the special

[jesse]: 1:04:15

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:04:15

election. So to bring us within, I think at that point seven seats, if I remember correctly, it was seven or nine

[jesse]: 1:04:21

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:04:22

and met another guy that was running out out east and he was unsuccessful as well, And then there was a candidate. I don't. I don't remember. We only spoke a few times, but I don't think they were as heavily favored. If you will. They were really putting a lot of effort into my race And in the guy out east, So

[jesse]: 1:04:41

In the special,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:04:41

it just youh special.

[jesse]: 1:04:42

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:04:43

So it kind of just it kind of faded off. You know, it was like your. your. You have a little bit of a break, So you know what to do. At least that's how I felt. They didn't say that, But you, You have a primary. You're on Opposed because that was already filled before the special election

[jesse]: 1:04:56

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:04:56

even happened. Get through. that may be covidilel. Be a little better. You might be able to knock some doors, and it changed over the next. you know, six or so months. But then when we got closer, which I talk a little bit about in the book, is we just had to do things the way we thought we should have done it.

[jesse]: 1:05:14

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:05:15

Because it was as I call it like, almost like a Hail Mary. We knew that there was going to be in some areas sixty seventy. Maybe even in the smaller communities may be eighty percent. Turn out mail and ballets were there. So I mean we. we had a. We had a feeling that they're right. A slim chance. the percentages were about the same. so so I can't say that I was shocked, and I can't say when I woke up when I woke up the next morning. After the special I, there was a sense of relief, but there was also this, What in the hell just happened? Because as you know, on the election day you're everywhere you're You're

[jesse]: 1:05:59

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:05:59

really not influencing too many people at that point, Because they're either going to come

[jesse]: 1:06:02

Ah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:03

out. You're not

[jesse]: 1:06:03

the

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:03

going

[jesse]: 1:06:03

cake

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:03

to go pick

[jesse]: 1:06:03

is

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:03

them

[jesse]: 1:06:03

baked.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:03

up out of bed or

[jesse]: 1:06:04

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:04

take. you're not goin to grab he lot of work and say hey, Go vote

[jesse]: 1:06:07

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:08

bight. It was like what is like Because what is going on? Because now kids are home. you know. it's all all brief things on T v. State and federal things are still closed. It was just a different time back then, and

[jesse]: 1:06:22

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:23

like you said a while ago, it was just like it was like a kind of like a perfect storm. Like if there was a bad time N you know, my history to run. It was a hell of a time to run

[jesse]: 1:06:34

Yeah, that's a bad

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:35

with

[jesse]: 1:06:35

time to

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:35

that

[jesse]: 1:06:35

run.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:35

lot.

[jesse]: 1:06:35

I mean. Ah, I think historically we're going to be hard pressed to find a worse time, so we're goin. Speak of time we're getting close to, but I have two quick questions. First of all, how given the way it all kind of shook out, then, did they come after you aggressively in the males And did they do like the full negative blitz on you

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:06:56

Special or after post.

[jesse]: 1:06:57

Either, or I mean,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:07:00

We had. Yeah, we had some. There were some negative from both sides. I talk. I talk a lot about that towards the end of the book. In the special,

[jesse]: 1:07:07

Hm.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:07:07

I don't recall much in heading into November. I think that his funding was probably like the same as mine, kind of tailed off, and I think that they were banking on, which I would probably say is a fair assessment that they were going to win.

[jesse]: 1:07:23

They didn't need

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:07:24

You know

[jesse]: 1:07:24

it. They didn't need to.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:07:25

there was. why are they going to try to get an extra thirty or forty grant from From

[jesse]: 1:07:30

Hm.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:07:30

Harrisburg or some somebody else to fund it? But yeah, it was just it was. It was an interesting time. and when you talk about that, I mentioned my mom a lot throughout the book. You know, With everything happens for a reason, which is her go to. She said that to me the other day, An any time something in the family, there's something going on. She says it. It's like second nature and it's like Mom said. Everybody feels good. Now we're good if she says it at dinner. The best part about in this book besides the relationship with my dad And putting it all together and we were always close. it's not

[jesse]: 1:08:03

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:08:04

like we like Cuba came together and we're running in a special and we're gonna be close forever. We were always close, but this brought us closer

[jesse]: 1:08:10

Right

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:08:11

that bonding to have somebody. and I think, in addition to having that family friends support, you need to have somebody. If you're running for office that you can pick up the phone that not only can you trust, but they will listen. You just need somebody to listen. I don't need you to tell me like Ree or four words in it said. Hey, I think what you shouldn't that you should have like you, just need somebody to listen.

[jesse]: 1:08:36

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:08:36

My dad was a listener, but he also did give me feedback when I asked for it, because as we grew he understood that I might have had a great interaction which I talk about at somebody's door, or I may have had a very negative interaction with somebody, and I just need somebody to talk to invent, because it's human nature for a lot of us that you just want to get it off your chest and move on.

[jesse]: 1:08:59

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:08:59

Some people Old it in. And that's what really hurts is when you hold that stuff in. So my dad and then I talk about my brother in here was that he was very upset with some things that were posted on social media about me from the from my opponent at the time. And it was actually his family that was posting it And my brother really wasn't involved in the campaign. He was, you know, working for. He was a steel worker at the time, My dad was a retired steel worker. So he, I had steel worker back And there they're actually on. So so I'll give away a little egg here. So the book it is supposed to mirror this.

[jesse]: 1:09:38

Oh,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:09:38

This is like a military style book. You know, You buy ten dollars. whatever. It's a note book And you keep notes and I still have it. So the first sticker I put on there from from labor was steel workers, thirty four or three. And so this is to try to mirror that book. Only A few. my friends said, Hey man, that's a green book. I was like. Yeah, you got that,

[jesse]: 1:09:56

You

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:09:56

but

[jesse]: 1:09:56

know, I feel like. Yeah, that's that's That's pretty good. My grandfather was actually an international red for the steel workers, so I, yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:10:02

Oh nice,

[jesse]: 1:10:02

yeah, yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:10:03

but they were. They were there for me. It was a great. you know, just a great experience. Met a lot of ton of great people, But my brother, When he started seeing some negative posts, Facebook and

[jesse]: 1:10:11

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:10:11

different things, he was mad. He came here on October twenty eighth, or whatever. It was. Halloween weekend In twenty twenty, And he said Me and Dad are coming up, were going to lock doors. Where can we go? said Bryan. We got like a week. I mean, it's I'm out with. I'm out with with our daughter like that's That's where the focus is now. There's no way I'm going to flip

[jesse]: 1:10:31

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:10:31

fowl Ans of voters for next week by knocking doors whenever we're trick, R. treating like it's just not going to happen And that brought us back together, so I'm always a glass half full. I try. You know, a lot of people say glass half empty, glass

[jesse]: 1:10:45

Hm.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:10:46

half full. There were so many good things that came out of running for office, albeit stressful. You know, you think about the What if What if I would have did this? What if I did, and I always I still Monday morning quarterback, which is what I struggle with, but I've also The terms with knowing that even if I heard of you know, did something then would have made a difference. Probably not. but what is a candidate? If you ever talked to Canada? I'm sure you would share this with them is, as long as you know that you did everything that you physically and emotionally could do for that race, and that you were honest with yourself and with your family, and then the voters that you're trying to have them support you, there's not much else, so you can throw a couple of small Things in that in that glass. But if you put those big rocks of those things in there, you're not going to fill it up with much more. That is, that is all you need. That's all you need to move forward whether you're victorious or not, Is that you were honest, and that you did everything you could, Because we can sit for hours and go back through every single thing and talk

[jesse]: 1:11:52

Head

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:11:52

about it.

[jesse]: 1:11:53

right

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:11:53

but you know it's It was a one hell of an experience, one hell of an experience, one hell of a time. and I'm glad that I, You know T was afforded the opportunity, because like I said a while ago, was that committee. They could have just said Hey, we're going to go with the other guy

[jesse]: 1:12:08

Right

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:12:09

and I never would have never would have had the opportunity.

[jesse]: 1:12:13

Right.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:12:14

So

[jesse]: 1:12:14

So we're We're over an hour and I'm kind of kicking myself because there was one

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:12:18

Doesn't feel like it. but

[jesse]: 1:12:19

I

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:12:19

yeah,

[jesse]: 1:12:19

know and there was one thing I wanted to get into, but I feel like it's almost a separate discussion that which is running now when you're running for office as a Democrat. As you know you was someone who's in the military Right, and how the concepts of the way we associate the military with patron It is obviously,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:12:44

M.

[jesse]: 1:12:44

and but how that translates into elected politics, and how

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:12:47

M.

[jesse]: 1:12:47

that will work. I could do another hour on that. I think that what I'm going to do is I want to put together. actually, a little panel for another episode with some military people that you know, or it's kind of similarly situated to you and have that discussion because it's a fascinating thing to me and I saw you were back by vote fats. right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:09

Yes,

[jesse]: 1:13:09

Yeah, the guy that created Vote at John Salts went And Eternity, Brother's a wan. So

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:16

Okay,

[jesse]: 1:13:16

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:16

met him

[jesse]: 1:13:17

he actually

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:17

several

[jesse]: 1:13:17

recruited

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:17

times. Yeah,

[jesse]: 1:13:17

me is a year older than me, so I'm always. It's just a fascinating area for me and to see how that gets reconciled, but again, that's a much bigger discussion for another day. but I want to have you back as part of it as I think you'd be uniquely qualified to be a part of it.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:33

O

[jesse]: 1:13:34

Okay, so book plug, Rob, proud Junior, Running out of time,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:39

h.

[jesse]: 1:13:40

I will put

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:40

h.

[jesse]: 1:13:40

in the links for everything where You can get it directly You take a look

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:46

h.

[jesse]: 1:13:46

at Is now it's really. It's an insightful book I love when

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:13:50

h.

[jesse]: 1:13:50

candidates write books and talk about their experience is based on like the real on the ground stuff right like I'll be honest. People give me political books all the time by people that clearly didn't write them. You know, and I'm like this is just a vanity project right, like people that are giving their big opinions on all these things I like to hear about. like the actual. You know, The boots on the ground. What really happened, you know, And like those little anticdotes and all that kind of stuff. That's the kind of stuff I like because I know that stuffs real, you know,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:14:22

Yah,

[jesse]: 1:14:22

and that's why I think we could know

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:14:24

yah.

[jesse]: 1:14:25

people that are wanting to

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:14:26

Yeah,

[jesse]: 1:14:26

run for office or have or want to understand it. better. Um, that's where you can really learn a lot. not from these big high minded. you know us senders putting up books that they didn't. They wouldn't know if they fell out of this guy and hit him in the head. Um,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:14:40

Yeah, I

[jesse]: 1:14:41

so

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:14:41

appreciate that in the real. I do say this in here, but there's two funny stories with this book. and if you ever run a write a book, pay attention to find print. So I actually have. there's two versions.

[jesse]: 1:14:51

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:14:52

And when I was when I was finalizing the contract and we sin, I signed it all. We took a little photo with my wife and daughter. At the time we were excited. Apparently, somehow I signed something that said that we would have all colored photos, Didn't

[jesse]: 1:15:06

M,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:06

think anything Of it, But the print colored photos is pretty expensive.

[jesse]: 1:15:11

Right,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:11

so they sent me the first batch of books, ten books or whatever it was,

[jesse]: 1:15:14

I

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:15

and

[jesse]: 1:15:15

have

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:15

I

[jesse]: 1:15:15

color

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:15

looked

[jesse]: 1:15:15

foot.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:15

on the bet.

[jesse]: 1:15:16

I have the color photo

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:16

I probably

[jesse]: 1:15:17

version.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:17

did. I send you a color,

[jesse]: 1:15:18

I think yeah, yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:19

So I looked on the back and I said sixty four dollars. Who's gonna pay sixty four dollars for that?

[jesse]: 1:15:25

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:25

So they said we, You got to review the contract. You signed one with colored photos and I was like, I want to color. you know the cover, so I

[jesse]: 1:15:32

Hm,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:32

had to go back. so we actually have two versions out there. But the black and white photos is you take a look at that, But the reason I did write this true story is for my daughter, because she's in here a few times and I mentioned her, and she, as you said on the last page inside here on page four to is,

[jesse]: 1:15:50

M. right

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:15:50

was our social media graphic that we we were going to use that day after the special Win or lose And you can see how little she is. It's just crazy how fast things go. But I wrote it for her and so so when she gets older, she could read this because she was part of the journy, And she just was in her carrier carrier. I went to the you know dinner old. My wife's in the military, So you know, there was a lot of things. I was very over protected, for you know, the hatch, and and things like that In an her involved, and anybody to bring that up, she has, you know she does a great job with what she does so. But that was that was for my daughter and very proud of it, and I didn't think that I would ye. It's a long book for under two pages. I've read some other books that I know some people have written and here, not there four other pages. But yeah, I

[jesse]: 1:16:36

It

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:16:36

appreciate.

[jesse]: 1:16:37

absolutely. it's well, I have a lot of admiration for the fact that you actually just sat down and did it. You know, I've had you know. I've got a book draft that that's been sitting on my computer And it's you know. it's the same thing. I'm like. I'm gonna do it for my kids and everything And it's it's rough, man. There's some painful stuff in there and you're like it's like Do you want to relive it all? And it's hard to drag yourself back there and have to re, live and relitigate some of that with. And I appreciate the fact that you did it with a very through very honest lens like you're very self aware about it, which I think is really important. So I give you Mag credit for that, so thank you very much, Rob for taking the time.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:17:19

I

[jesse]: 1:17:19

I

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:17:19

appreciate.

[jesse]: 1:17:19

know we've been trying to set this up literally forever. I'm glad we finally got a chance to do it. The book again is called Running out of time. I will make sure the link is in everything that we put out, and other than that you're on social, right if people can find you.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:17:36

Yeah, in social and linked in, but just just helping some candidates. Now you know for twenty twenty three, you know on the side and you know just it's a change. like I said early on over an hour ago. We have a lot of candidates here. They were running on the other side as Republicans that were Democrats last year. It's interesting

[jesse]: 1:17:56

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:17:56

and you know at the end of the day to people care most probably don't. they're looking for the party And it's you know, it's I think when When our kids look back and read some books and some articles, it's it's a. It's an interesting time. I'll just say that because we didn't. We've never seen this before

[jesse]: 1:18:17

No,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:17

where a whole Township supervisors they change parties so they can win again. So it's like

[jesse]: 1:18:26

Yeah,

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:26

you know, I don't. It's interesting.

[jesse]: 1:18:28

it is.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:28

That's all I say to people. It's interesting. I'll help because I believe in certain candidates and they're in their policies and I just help And it's the best. That's the best that that we can do at this point. But just keep plugging around cause I think it's a. It will fade away at some point and probably come back our way

[jesse]: 1:18:41

Yeah.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:42

just the way history history

[jesse]: 1:18:42

I hope

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:43

works

[jesse]: 1:18:43

so.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:43

out.

[jesse]: 1:18:43

hopefully

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:44

Yeah,

[jesse]: 1:18:44

hopefully we'll till have a republic whenever it does.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:18:47

yeah,

[jesse]: 1:18:48

Well, Rob. thanks again for for taking the time. Thank everybody for listening. I'm Jessie White, this has been the Key Stone Recording podcast. You can check us out at Keystone Recording Dot com. Please like and subscribe, and all those other things. All the places you get all the podcast. Thanks very much. Talk to you soon.

[rob_prah__jr]: 1:19:03

Thank you.