EDITOR:
I extend my sincere gratitude to every Platte County voter who supported me in the Aug. 4 Republican primary for presiding commissioner. I am thankful for every vote, every word of encouragement, every shared message, every conversation, and every person who believed in my willingness to serve.
While I did not secure the nomination, I leave this race with something deeply meaningful: we made history.
Based on the Platte County election records I have reviewed, I believe I am the first African American woman—and potentially the first African American—to seek the office of Platte County Presiding Commissioner. In a countywide Republican primary, I received approximately 30% of the vote.
That matters.
I entered this race because I believe public service should be about people, not politics. Due to significant mobility challenges, I was unable to conduct the traditional door-to-door campaign I would have preferred. Instead, I relied heavily on social media, written communication, community relationships, and the support of others who helped extend my message where I could not physically go.
Even so, Platte County voters heard me, considered my ideas, and thousands cast their ballots in my favor. I do not take that support lightly.
I congratulate Jason Maki on his victory and wish him success as he advances to the November general election. Public service is larger than any one candidate, and ultimately, the voters decide.
To everyone who voted for me: thank you. While we did not win the election, we demonstrated that new voices can step forward, compete, make history, and be heard.
My name was on the ballot, but this moment belongs to all who believed there was room at the table for someone different.
This chapter has closed, but my commitment to public and community service has not.
–Dr. Gena L. Ross
Platte County
