LETTER: Five Words (In Support of Len Gerzon)

My husband, Len Gerzon, is running for a seat at the state house, in a new district that covers both Amherst and Bedford. I knew when he entered this race that I would write a letter to share what only a wife can say. And I can say a lot! I can say that Len lives his life with integrity, that he is wise in ways that after 28 years together can still amaze me, and that his compassionate and caring nature has made me a kinder person. He both solicits and respects the opinions of others, and he is generous in his dealings with all people. I have observed that time and again, when called on to do so, Len makes thoughtful, reasoned and fair decisions. If elected, I am certain that he will make an excellent legislator.

But I am a person who does not wish to brag… so in order to make my case to readers I decided to enlist the help of others. I sent 25 emails to Len’s colleagues and associates – Republicans and Democrats alike – who have collaborated with Len over his past 25 years of service in our communities. Many people to whom I wrote are local leaders from Amherst and Bedford with whom he has co-led committees, as well as state leaders with whom he has shared the responsibilities of crafting tax policy. I asked each of them to send me five words that describe Len. I believe that these words, from colleagues and associates, can provide insight into how Len would conduct himself in the NH legislature (numbers in parentheses indicate how many times a trait was named).

Many people wrote that Len is thoughtful (14 people), kind (6), caring (6), a good listener (5), loyal (5), compassionate (5), trustworthy (4), empathetic (3), collaborative (3), and listens to all sides (2). He is seen as approachable, moderate, reasoned, fair-minded, no-nonsense, reasonable, a quiet leader and a consensus-builder.  People described his work ethic as dedicated (3), hard-working (3), strategic, passionate about his causes, professional, experienced and committed to his community.  A few words resonate in our personal lives, including sociable, supportive, unique, thrifty, fiscally-conservative, and a great sense of humor.

As much as I would like to I do not have space to offer the entire list, but I must share these three gems from his colleagues with which to close - unflappable, unifying, and non-partisan.  Len is an independent thinker and makes non-partisan decisions, and I believe this has led to his being a unifying force in many settings. He addresses issues as issues, and does not engage in personal attacks or partisan rhetoric. He has a track record of working through challenges until positive solutions can be found. In this way, he truly is “unflappable”.

In this time of divisive politics, Len is known as a person who has the skills, knowledge and disposition to bring a small but needed measure of thoughtful and reasoned judgment to Concord. To learn more about Len’s candidacy, please visit www.lengerzonfornh.com.  Please look for Len Gerzon on the ballot (Hillsborough 41 House district) on November 6.

- Nancy Gerzon