To Endorse or not?

So every election cycle I have a ton of issues to deal with before even beginning to consider which candidates to endorse for any given race. I hate the concept because it is like having to give the roses out on the Bachelorette reality show. I hate reality shows. Still candidates make the effort to get to know me and to explain their views on issues all in the hopes that I will give them that all important rose. They know that I have readers that simply don’t have the time to spend going to every political event and personally talking with every candidate in a given race. 

My readers are not the political insiders that are on my Facebook page. They are real normal people who have every day nonpolitical lives.  For as much as some politicians are repulsed by the idea of spending time with common voters there are just as many average voters that would prefer not to have to spend time with politicians. Those individuals count on me to do their leg work and to get to know the candidates.  

I try to post as many interviews and speeches as I can prior to the election so as to help the voters understand how each candidate feels about various issues. I ask as many questions as the voters are interested in to make sure candidates cover all the unanswered questions. I never stop nagging candidates on the issue of free events for the public so that if the voters want to personally meet a candidate that I have decided to support then they are provided the opportunity. I personal feel that body language and micro expressions are very telling about a person’s character. 

In the past I have always tried to endorse late in the race so as to have as little effect as I can possible have on the race itself. I want a level playing field for all of those interested in running for a seat. I think that a candidate should be elected based on not who supports them but on what issues they represent and their own personal character. 

After years of doing this I have learned much about people who run for more than one race. I may be political friends with these people but for the most part I don’t have a personal relationship with any of them. I know their families by first name. I see them start out on their first campaign. I watch them grow and learn how the system works. I see their fears and frustrations.  I watch them get married and have families. Yet between election cycles I don’t spend time with them or their families.

Oh there are always the few exceptions. I met my best friend during a campaign. And yes we spend time with each other even though he does not run in races any longer. Our relationship moved away from politics years ago. Funny but after his first campaign I told him that last day before the election that I would not be spending any time with him and might not even see him ever again. He made sure to tell me that our friendship had gone past the point of just being political. Our friendship has last for over a decade now. And then there are other elected officials that I run into every once in a while when I am out walking in my own neighborhood or maybe shopping. But those are only passing hellos and nothing more.  

So the point is that endorsements do matter to the voters. They want to hear from political insiders like myself when it comes to candidates. No matter how much work we do there are still times when a good liar will still get past us. I hope that anyone that does endorsements takes the time to consider all the candidates and does not take their position as advisor lightly. I hope that they hold the candidate’s feet to the fire even after the election so as to benefit the people who count on us to advise them as to who to vote for in the first place. 

  

I will continue to endorse not for the candidates but for the voters. I will encourage people to voter for candidates that represent the core values of the Democratic Party. I support candidates that will do their level best to help the people of this state despite their own personal shortcomings. This may not be the best system but it is the one we have presently.