Letter to the Editor: Kelly a rare political figure
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I've known Del. John R. Kelly personally and professionally for a number of years. John is running for state Senate now, and I feel I should comment.
Campaigns tend to be political; beyond my level of interest, so I'm writing to provide insight on this unique candidate.
John Kelly is a lot of what we would expect a Senator to be; confident, passionate, well-spoken, focused ...
What separates John from other politicians, is his drive to make a positive contribution MORE than his party designation.
I had a student at Ohio Valley University that needed an internship to get into law school. John took an afternoon to get to know her.
John's intent was to bring her as a summer intern to the capitol as part of his team. She was a different political party than him.
There was no prejudice, no mention of changing her beliefs. John evaluated her as an individual, not a member of the opposing political party. She was young and nervous! The ease and harmony John created demonstrated his flexible leadership style.
Over the 4 years I taught engineering at Ohio Valley University, John supported the students, and many staff, and even joined us on a field trip!
On a few occasions, the newspaper covered the students' missions. Yet when asked by reporter Jeff Baughan, Del. Kelly declined to add his name to the publicity because he said he didn't want to take the spotlight away from the kids' accomplishment.
A kind-hearted, devoted representative in politics is rare. I hope this behind-the-scenes example provides information people may wonder about, prior to the May primary election.
Angela Vande
Parkersburg native