 Here’s a surprising statement from someone who earns a living online: Social media is not the best way to learn about candidates for office. While candidates have websites and Facebook pages, and there’s plenty of independent blogging, I hope voters don’t make decisions based on that content alone. We’re fortunate to live in a community where the political candidates are also our neighbors. We see them at church, the grocery store, the youth league ballfields. That can make things a little uncomfortable in some social settings, as tensions over our county’s present and future continue to rise.
The best way to learn about a candidate? Ask him/her. And that’s where the candidate forum comes in. I love these things. I’m fascinated by the interaction between candidates and citizens. Websites and Facebook pages are fine, but the message is controlled. Much of the chatter is either directed at the candidate or her opponent. There’s virtually no conversation. Meet-the-candidate events work in the opposite direction. Other than the opening and closing speeches, nothing is scripted. Candidates get the raw opinion from citizens who, my experience shows, are not shy about offering it. No candidate should ever attend a Citrus County political night and walk away thinking, “Hmm, not sure I have the pulse of that room.” That is extremely rare. So, some thoughts on candidate forums. — Watch the candidates. Watch them interact with others. Hear how they answer questions (is it an actual answer, or 60 seconds of nonsense?). Are they engaged with attendees? It takes more than just a decent idea or two to become effective in office. It’s also a social setting that requires people who play well with others. I can get a good idea how well they’ll be on the dais by watching candidates interact at candidate forums. A few years back, I attended a forum where all the candidates were engaged with voters at their tables, except one. This candidate had no one stopping at his table. I asked him, “Why aren’t you talking with voters in the room?” He just sorta shrugged. You won’t catch that detail on someone’s Facebook page. — Ask questions. For me, it’s all about community service and track record. What have you done to earn our trust? For the incumbents, that should be an easy answer. Any incumbent worth her salt should be able to rattle off two or three specific successes where she played a specific role. Incumbents without noticeable wins in a four-year term…well, let’s just say that's a red flag. Similar for challengers. Opinions from challengers without a community service resume to back it up mean very little. I’ve known some truly horrible candidates who promise the sun, moon, and stars because that’s what people want to hear. No substance behind those promises. Candidate forums are where we weed out that stuff. Most people learn more from a five-minute conversation with a candidate than from any speech, podcast, video, or website. Take advantage of the personal touch that candidate forums offer. — Finally, my favorite forum story. We go back many years when the late Dennis Damato ran for County Commission. Big crowd in Beverly Hills. I forget exactly what the issue was, but an opponent had just accused him of some nefarious deed. Suddenly, from the back of the room: “You’re a liar!” We all turn around, and it’s Danielle Damato, not much older than a youngster back then, sticking up for dear ol’ dad. That’s the emotional appeal of the candidate forum. Online just doesn’t cut it. — Oh yeah, the candidate events:
I’ll post other forums as I learn of them. Get to know these candidates. Make your vote an educated one. That’s it for Wednesday. Have a great one, friends. Join the discussion on our Facebook page. Enjoying the blog? Please consider supporting it at Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 39 years. 
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June 2026
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