Candidates just don't have it easy

Happy Thursday! Let’s talk about my favorite people.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I’m spending most days in the company of at least one political candidate. 

I had Cattle Dog chats this week with three candidates, delightful conversations with folks who want to preserve our community's inner beauty.

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I rarely give up a weekend day for politics, but I did on Saturday when the North Suncoast Conservative Club had several candidates in for a round-table discussion on a variety of topics. Non-traditional, and I’m not sure the candidates were all that comfortable with it. But a bunch of them showed up because that’s what candidates do.

Let me tell you: Running for office is tough. Some thoughts:

— People haven’t a clue what this is until they get into it. 

Everyone wants new and fresh candidates to challenge the incumbents. I want the same thing. That is simply a huge ask of anyone. People like that don’t grow on trees.

— Running for office is a massive commitment of time, energy, and emotion. These folks are super pumped. Most have full-time jobs that they sandwich around campaigning the other waking hours.

Most people who run for office don’t have fancy campaign managers or anyone with experience guiding them. They’re totally on their own, figuring this out one day at a time, with a circle of supporters who have no more clue how to do this than the candidate.

— It takes money. More than that, extreme humility. As Just Wright Citrus was revving up in late 2021, I began approaching business friends for advertising sponsorships. That was HARD. It still is. It gave me a glimpse of what candidates for local office must overcome when they’re out raising money for signs, T-shirts, websites, and the like.

Candidates who sweep in thousand-dollar checks don’t impress me. Candidates who scrape for votes and support — I know those people are going to work like heck if elected. Not saying the others won’t. There’s just something about a scraper.

— Candidates are under enormous pressure to know everything. I mean, EVERYTHING. It’s really unfair the knowledge we sometimes expect candidates to have. 

Here’s the challenge for non-incumbents: Candidates may have great ideas, backed with solid research and data, but until they’ve actually tried them out, it’s all theory. 

An incumbent lives and dies on his record in office. And, incumbents use the knowledge they’ve gained in office, whereas challengers don’t have that same experience. Incumbents are in the game. Challengers watch from the stands.

I always suggest that challengers be a little flexible with their views. Learn the history of the office. Who held the job before the current office-holder, and who had it before him/her? Understand that the answers are not always what they seem.

Challengers can point out the flaws of the incumbent, but that means very little if the challenger doesn’t have anything other than opinion to back up his/her point.

I also encourage candidates to admit when they don’t have the answer. Many years ago, someone at a Citrus Springs forum asked candidates their opinion on a complicated water project.

Joe Meek, then in his first run for County Commission, fumbled with an answer, and I could tell that the question threw him for a loop.

I told him afterward it’s OK to say he doesn’t know, so long as he researched it and got back with the voter the next day. Look how well that advice worked. Two terms on the County Commission, and now the highly successful Mayor of Crystal River. You’re welcome.

Candidates often think voters expect them to have all the answers. That’s not my experience. Voters want honesty, humility, and leadership.

— There’s more, but I’ll end with this.

Ballot qualifying is in seven weeks. Then another eight-week sprint to the primary. Candidates are here and there, attending events, meet-the-candidate events, and generally trying to get out where they can.  (Send me campaign event info and I'll get it out there.)

I love candidates. I love their enthusiasm. I love how many candidates start a sentence with, “When I’m elected…” instead of “If I’m elected…” (Though gotta watch over-confidence. That’s a hard fall for candidates who never consider the possibility of losing.)

I simply admire candidates and their tenacity.

Running for office is not easy. Let’s support our neighbors who are taking on this challenge for us.

Have a terrific Thursday, friends.

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