There’s only one servant leader in the U.S. Senate campaign

Servant leaders lead by serving others. They don’t seek the spotlight. They don’t have to be at the center of attention. They just lead by doing. They sacrifice to serve the greater good. Amy McGrath is that type of leader.

Like many of you, I had never heard of her, didn’t know her name, didn’t know anything about her before she showed up on the scene to run for Congress two years ago. I watched her in that race. And I grew more excited as I learned more about her. One day I stood in line to volunteer. People crowded into that tiny downtown office to pick up signs and campaign literature. And we were all deflated when she lost that race by just 3 percentage points because we knew that she would have stood up for us in Congress.

I saw her take every opportunity to share her platform with down ballot candidates, including minority contenders, so that they could elevate and amplify their messaging. She shared her campaign space with candidates, many of them women running for office for the first time who lacked the financing to run a competitive race. She shared resources and expertise. Not in front of cameras. But quietly, steadily. Pouring into others. Serving while leading. Expanding the coalition of those who might serve our democracy well.

Now, I see those same leadership qualities: Steady, reliable, sacrificial. Amy is someone who is willing to listen. Leaders understand that they don’t have all the answers, that sometimes they make mistakes, but they course correct. This is no surprise, pilots do that too. People like Amy don’t pander, they hear criticism and then work to address it. That is what I have seen as Amy has been running for Senate.

I talked to her outside of a racial justice rally where protesters were shouting down the police and the mayor, and even the moderator. She looked worn, but resolved. She was there, present. Learning. Growing. Listening. She is a woman of faith. And I saw in her that day, a determination to be on the right side of history, not because it was politically expedient, but because her faith was the foundation that called her to love her neighbor as herself.

She has flown from one end of the state to the other to listen to voters. In the shadow of the murder of Breonna Taylor, she laid out her plan for Equality for All. But recognizing the hardships borne by coal mining families in Kentucky, she also addressed a Partnership for Rural Kentucky. Many politicians try to pit urban against rural, but it was never Us vs. Them for Amy. It was always WE.

WE all deserve a living wage for an honest day’s work; a justice system that reforms not brutalizes; healthcare that is affordable and accessible; an economic system that doesn’t leave coal miners, farmers, small business owners, and union workers with the smallest piece of the capitalist pie; a good public school education for all children, one that prepares them to live a full, happy life. Isn’t that true for all of us? Black. White. Brown. Human.

Two years ago, I remember standing in line in a ballroom, hearing her speak, and wanting a chance just to shake her hand or get a photo. But handlers came in and whisked her away, leaving many supporters still waiting. But I have watched her throughout this race. She talks to every voter present. Servant leaders don’t clamor for the spotlight. They quietly kneel in the park at a campaign rally and listen to a preschooler excitedly talk about her dad who is serving our country. Amy listens. She engages. There is no Us or Them. Just WE. And WE deserve better than what we’ve had for 36 years. Leaders lead.

Tina V. Bryson is a writer living in Lexington.