One of the best barometers of statesmanship is sometimes exemplified by losing politicians who make the effort to congratulate their successful opponents.
At the national level, of course, such an act is considered a must, because of the media attention that goes along with the congratulatory phone call, often hand-in-hand with a concession. Whether the loser actually wants to congratulate—and personally concede to—a sometimes reviled opponent is irrelevant compared to the bad publicity that would follow for not doing so. In some cases, it is more important to look like a statesman than it is to actually be one. Perhaps more accurately, the threat of appearing to be a sore loser is more significant than whether one is in private.
Thus, I have always been deeply impressed by those on the short end of the election stick at the local level who take the time to congratulate the winner. In some cases, no media, no one watching, and no one knowing…short of the winner and the few that are told. Statesmanship, if it is possible to attribute that term to a non-elected, living person (and I refuse to use the "politically correct" bastardized version of the word…a stateseman can be a woman or a man).
Sometimes, the public act of concession and congratulations has another goal. Unity. Unity for the nation, unity for the state, and—sometimes—unity for the party.
As Jon Fleischman wrote Monday, when Tom Del Beccaro was announced the winner in the race for 
California Republican Party vice-chairman on Sunday, his opponent Tom Bordonaro (pictured to the left) congratulated him and made a motion for a public vote of unanimity by convention delegates. I have no doubt that had the result been different, Del Beccaro would have done the same. Statesmanship.
Two days prior, when Keen Butcher won the race to lead the Republican County Chairman’s Association, opponent Linda Boyd took a similar action. Statesmanship.
As we look to the future, the last thing needed is lingering divisions within the GOP as a result of inner party politics. Thank you to Tom Bordonaro and Linda Boyd (pictured to the right) for immediately putting their respective elections behind them, their dedication to a cause greater than personal, and their concern for the well-being of the California GOP as a whole. Thanks to them for being statesmanlike.