Thank goodness that Raphael Warnock won the runoff race in Georgia, where I grew up and lived until 1988, when I moved to Maine with my wife and two small children. What an embarrassing tragedy it would have been if Herschel Walker had won. A politician’s character and competence should be far more important to voters than party loyalty or affiliation.

The Leonard Pitts column the Press Herald published this past week (“There’s no ‘both sides’ to shredding the Constitution,” Dec. 7) speaks to how the media plays a major role in giving attention to extreme candidates like Donald Trump (and his followers). They do this to increase their ratings and make more money. A generic capitalist might say that’s exactly what private businesses should do, focus on profits.

I find that attitude shameful. I’ve spent more than 30 years consulting at a high level in the corporate world and coaching very senior leaders. The best ones have far more character and courage than this. They don’t let profit compromise core values.

What happened to the notion of “the greater good” for the country, state, community and our families. Isn’t that more important than individual triumph or corporate bottom lines? Those who say they will always vote for any candidate that their favorite party nominates are complicit in lowering the bar of standards and core values.

Some have said things like: “I voted for Trump while holding my nose because while he’s awful individually, I want the Republican-type policies to win out.”

I ask, in this extreme case, has it really been worth it to cast your vote this way? Given all the damage to our democracy and country Trump has caused and continues to try to cause? Really?

For example, I disagree with someone like Liz Cheney on policies and direction, most of the time. But if Cheney were running for office against a Democrat who I thought was not the type of person I wanted in that office based on character, competence, demonstrated values and lack of courage, I would likely now vote for Cheney – she has clearly demonstrated she is a person of great courage, competence and cares more about our country and our democracy than her own status in the world.

It would be hard to do, especially if she were a candidate for the U.S. Senate and could influence Supreme Court nominees. In the end, though, the “greater good” – true commitment to our democracy, the rule of law and equal opportunity for all people – is far more important than any short-term changes to policies.

Sadly, there are very few politicians of any political persuasion who meet the character, courage and competence standard I prefer, so the choices are often quite limited. Even here in Maine, where we are mostly known and admired for our reasonable, reality-based politicians (even though the Trump movement certainly showed the cowardice of some of our political leaders, at every level, who could not consistently stand up to his nonsense and damage).

We need better people to run for political office. Yet I understand why so many people avoid this option; the political world looks slimy, weak, tasteless, low quality and full of people who continue to disappoint us. Not very appealing.

Let’s focus on character, courage and the greater good when nominating and voting for our political leaders. Gradually, we can raise the bar of both expectations and results.