A Chat with ‘That Dad’

I knew of Brandon Michon well before I moved to Virginia. I first saw him on the news while stationed in Oklahoma. He was this regular dad in a beanie and sweatshirt at a school board meeting, frustrated like so many other parents at the time. Schools were still closed, and parents were trying to juggle watching their kids languish in online school at home and their jobs that pay the bills.

Fast forward to last month’s Loudoun County Republican Women’s Club meeting, and I see Brandon again. This time without the beanie, speaking about his campaign for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.

There could be a fair argument that Brandon was one of the catalysts for the parent’s movement in Virginia and the awakening of parents across the nation. However, I couldn’t help but wonder how ‘that dad’ decided to run as a Congressional District candidate versus a School Board position.

A key component of his job in finance is to bring two disparate parties looking to get the maximum benefit from a deal together to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. Anyone in America, regardless of political flavor, can agree that there is a significant void in D.C. when it comes to this skill. A man of faith and what I believe to be a strong belief that opportunities present themselves so we may be tested to rise to the occasion Brandon said of running for a different political seat,

“Now is my message. I can’t wait four years to run for a different position. The door is open now. This is the moment in time for change, and I am willing to take the leap of faith.”

Suppose you’ve ever had a chance to talk to Brandon one on one. In that case, you quickly realize that this man has boundless energy and is natural at finding common ground with just about anybody. He has an innate curiosity for anyone and anything, which probably explains his success as a businessman.

I’m a firm believer that great conversations generally happen over a good cup of coffee or a tall cold beer, so I was happy to meet Brandon at a local Starbucks. However, upon pulling up and not seeing the usual long line at the drive-thru we realized they were closed. This has been a common theme in this area and around the country. Most reasons revolve around a compilation of; lack of employees and supply chain issues. I agree with Brandon that we live in a time where 18–26-year-olds are no longer incentivized to work. The Federal government can not continue spending, spending, and pretending that everything will work itself out.

I never thought an interview with a candidate would find its way to a discussion of NFTs and blockchain, but you better believe it did with Brandon. His curiosity, coupled with his belief that all people matter, led him to dive into the world of NFTs to open a dialogue with this arena. He is interested in that world. He also feels that if he is elected, he should know as much as he can about up-and-coming technologies and innovations. As someone who watched the social media regulation discussions in D.C. I was alarmed at how uneducated and ill-informed our Congressmen and women are when it comes to that field but were attempting to discuss regulations regarding social media. I can’t imagine many in D.C. are getting smart on NFTs when they barely know the functional difference between Facebook and Instagram.

I’ve repeatedly been saying that it’s an exciting time to be a Republican, especially in Virginia. If you live in Virginia’s 10th and have been paying attention to the political scene, you know there is an abundance of Republican candidates. When I attended this week’s Loudoun County Republican Committee Candidate Meet and Greet, I was taken with how complementary the candidates were to each other. Politics is not known for social graces and agreeable disagreement, at least not in our time. Brandon put it nicely,

“The amount of candidates is a testament to the fact that we are in a time when people recognize we need to step up.”

We are approaching a crucial point in our history. Our failures to properly educate generations of Americans, responsibly manage our economy, and find ways to temper extreme ideologies on both sides of the political spectrum could reach critical mass. Perhaps a regular dad adept at financial management and conflict resolution is just what D.C. needs.

I wish him and the rest of the candidates the best of luck. I encourage everyone in the district and country for that matter to go to your local political party meetings. Meet your neighbors and fellow Republicans or Democrats. Be an active participant in your community by being an active participant in how it is governed. You’d be surprised how much we all have in common. Now more than ever, we must take ownership of our communities and government.

Brandon is correct; it is time to raise the bar.