This election matters. We’ve heard that mantra endlessly from both presidential campaigns. But in fact every election matters – it matters whom we choose to represent us at every level of government. It’s not just what positions candidates take on the issues that count but what kinds of people they are and whether they are ready to engage in the nitty-gritty work of government. The deaths on the same day recently of two former members of the House of Representatives reminded us of what a difference an individual can make.

Paul Rogers, Democrat of Florida, became known in his 24 years in Congress as “Mr. Health.” In his career, he was able to effect wholesale change, touching all Americans, in the field of health policy. Matthew Rinaldo, Republican of New Jersey, though instrumental in the passage of legislation, was more of a hands-on guy in his district, where he concentrated on retail change. Both were non-ideological workhorses who crossed party lines to improve the lives of the people they served.