Anita Van Sant: Rest In Peace

I was truly saddened to read of the passing of Anita Van Sant.

While the low-key obituary was typically self-effacing, Anita was one of the best political campaign managers I’ve ever met. She and her husband, former State Representative John F. Van Sant, were the perfect political team. As the candidate, John knew that his job was to campaign. He knew that Anita could and would handle everything else. In those rare instances when John might have crossed that line between candidate and campaign manager, Anita would remind him in no uncertain terms that she was running the campaign. Both of them had this wonderful trademark ‘Bickersons’ sense of humor, and you knew how much they loved each other at all times.  The two of them built a superb grassroots team in their district and, once Van Sant defeated Donald Van Sciver on his second try, there was no looking back.

Candidates and prospective candidates should learn from the Van Sants: You can either be the candidate or the campaign manager. You can’t be both.

Anita and John were also political rarities in that they truly always remembered their friends. They weren’t careerists looking at the next rung, they were community-based people who loved helping people. And, they were always very kind to me.

During my career with the state, the Van Sants, and Senators Bob Marshall and Harris McDowell proved to be those rare people who actually had your back when those you thought would have your back proved otherwise.

My deepest condolences to John and his family. As much as I’ll miss the humorous banter between John and Anita, I know that it will be especially missed by the family.

To those who never had the pleasure, all I can say is, you would’ve really liked Anita Van Sant.