Read The Last Election for Free Online

education in wilderness conservation. He also established a charitable foundation called Sportsmen Against Hunger, where deer hunters donated venison to local churches to feed the needy during the winter months.
    Clark’s philanthropy made him very popular in the local community. He received numerous plaques of appreciation from the schools and churches, and was made an honorary member of the local lodges of both the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Loyal Order of the Moose. He was even knighted by the Knights of Columbus for his generous contributions to Catholic Charities, even though he was Methodist.
    Within twelve years of opening the doors to the original Sportsmen’s World, he had opened three more stores. The first was in the city of Claire, the second in Mount Pleasant, and the third was located on the shore of Higgins Lake near the town of Roscommon. The Higgins Lake store was enormous, earning the title of Superstore. As the popularity of Sportsmen’s World grew, so did the reputation of Samuel Clark. He was a local celebrity in each town that had a Sportsmen’s World outlet, and was often featured in local news stories as a successful businessman who always gave back to the community.
    In 1981 he broke ground for his next Superstore in Traverse City. Clark had always made friends with the local politicians in the cities in which he built a store, and Traverse City was no exception. Mayor Russ McClellan had long been a fan of Clark and it was he who approached Clark and suggested he build a Sportsmen’s World in Traverse City. McClellan saw the benefits in employment and tax revenue that a Sportsmen’s World outlet would bring to his city, and with the full support of the city council, he persuaded Clark to research the market potential that Traverse City offered.   
    Clark quickly became friends with Mayor McClellan, a successful oncologist turned politician. He was a rugged man who loved the outdoors, and he enjoyed hunting as much as Clark. On one of their early hunting trips, McClellan sprang an offer on Clark that was totally unexpected. He promised Clark unlimited support from the Michigan Republican Party if he would run for Congress in the upcoming election.
    The congressional seat in Michigan’s 4 th District had belonged to Eli Swanton for as long as most people could remember. Congressman Swanton was an old school Democrat whose age and deteriorating health prevented him from running for yet another term. All of Clark’s stores were within the 4th District, making him well known throughout the area. McClellan explained to Clark that with his popularity, his prior military service, and his image as a clean-cut family man who enjoyed hunting and fishing, he was a shoo-in for the seat being vacated by Swanton.
    Clark talked it over with Maria and his children, who enthusiastically encouraged him to go for it. As he stepped into the world of politics, Clark was surprised to find how much he enjoyed campaigning. He loved listening to the concerns of the people in his district, and they in turn found Clark to be a regular guy who wasn’t blowing smoke when it came to addressing their concerns. He easily won the election, since the Democrats never found a serious challenger that had the same appeal as Clark.
    Clark was a highly respected member of the House for several years. He always supported the causes near and dear to his constituents, such as smaller government, lower taxes, and protection of the environment. Even after his wife Maria died unexpectedly from a rare form of leukemia, he continued to serve admirably.
    By the time he had won his 13 th term in 2006 he was restless. Congress was challenging of course, but he no longer felt that serving at the federal level was the best way to serve the Michigan residents he so loved. That, added to the fact the Democrats in charge at the state level were a nationwide embarrassment, fueled his desire to leave Washington and return to