[Publisher’s Note: Knowing that FR correspondent Matt Rexroad has a longstanding professional relationship with Senate Republican Leader-Elect Dave Cogdill, I asked him if he would share something about the man with FR readers… – Flash]
Senator Dave Cogdill is someone many of you will learn about in the coming months. As the Senate Republican Leader-elect he will be making headlines for all sorts of political and public policy reasons.
The problem is that many of these stories will ignore the best part of the Senator. He is probably one of the best people to ever serve in the Legislature. He is truly a good person.
This is a guy that is not and will not be a cheerleader. He is thoughtful, calm, and respectful.
When Senator Dave Cox was the Assembly Republican Leader in 2002, Cogdill was on the Elections Committee. The guy was just rock solid. During the final weeks of the election Cox, Cogdill, and Tony Strickland were calm and collected when some other people around the state weren’t thinking clearly. They made tough resource allocation decisions when all the marbles were on the table. They did it well.
Other people will surely write about how conservative he is. They will say he is a strong family values guy, anti-tax, pro-business, all that stuff.
His Chief of Staff, Chuck Hahn, is well qualified to serve in any roll assigned to him by the new leader. He understands the political and policy issues internally and externally. Erin Guerrero has been with him for many years now and is a dependable policy person. After all these years she has a good feel for what her boss thinks on most issues and can speak authoritatively for him when needed.
But let me tell you why Dave Cogdill will always be memorable to me.
In January 2004 I was driving with my wife to Reno, NV on Interstate 80. We has just passed the Sugar Bowl exit in my truck. (In fact, I think that was the last day I ever saw that truck.) The Marine Corps had activated me to go to Kuwait and we were loading up to head out right away. It was a stressful time for my wife and me. We were newly married, we were tired from the 2002 cycle and the future was uncertain. I had a ton of stuff to think about.
My cell phone rang. It was then-Assemblyman Cogdill.
I will never forget what he said. "Matt, we are proud of you. I’ll be praying for you. If your wife needs anything please call me and I will take care of it personally but I know God will take care of you."
I hung up the phone with my head completely clear. The guy narrowed down completely for me. All the clutter went out of my head and I was immediately focused. I have a job to do and was going to go do it. When it was over I was coming back to my wife and family in Woodland.
He probably doesn’t remember the call but I will never forget it. For me it was one of those moments that things just become clear.
So read all the stuff you will about Dave Cogdill and the Fresno dynamic duo but know that under all of that is a man that is comfortable with himself and at ease with his place in life. He is a great Republican but a better person.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:00 am
Supervisor Rexroad has summed up our Senator quite well. Those of us who live in the 25th AD and the 14th SD are proud that Dave has represented us in Sacramento. Senate Republicans made an outstanding choice in Senator Cogdill and our party will certainly benefit from it.
The funny thing about Supervisor Rexroad’s story about receiving a call from then Assemblyman Cogdill is that there are hundreds more stories just like it. I remember then Assemblyman Cogdill speaking at the City of Chowchilla’s Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon. It was his remarks at that luncheon that convinced me to pursue public office and I certainly will not forget it.
Congratulations Senator Cogdill your constituents are proud of you.