Thoughts on the Primary Part IV: Was I Overly Magnanimous When I Said My Opponents Didn't Go Negative?

 

A picture of an Andy Marlette cartoon similar to this one (above) hangs currently outside the office of the District 2 Escambia County Commissioner.  This one, above, is a much better version of it though!

After it became apparent I won the election on August 18th, I was called first by Jonathan Owens who congratulated me on the victory and conceded the election.  A short time later, I received a similar call from Jesse Casey.  He and I had a great conversation and we discussed the potential of collaborating on a number of issues going forward for the betterment of the district and the county.

So naturally, when called by the media that same night, I was in high spirits and a great mood, and I was gracious and magnanimous when quick to point out my perception that the race was by and large a "clean, issues-focused contest."  This was my perception based upon the fact that I had blinders on and I DID NOT look at social chat sites in this election for the most part--- and instead I remained focused on my race and the finish line and the checkered flag on August 18th. 

So was I overly magnanimous when I said my opponents didn't go negative?

Since the election, I have now had the opportunity to peruse several web sites, Facebook sites, etc.  I also watched a "Blab" TV special one of my opponents was apparently running during the election. Sadly--the local realtor who was the "host" of this "program" made some statements about me and my family that were straight up lies.  Outright, bald-faced lies.  And this particular opponent DID NOT correct his host as he should have done.  This is disappointing.  This was a negative attack by proxy based upon false information--a set-up job.  This opponent ultimately came in third place, being beaten badly by both myself (by 17 points) and by Jesse Casey (by 8 points).  This same individual posted pictures and videos with characters wearing ridiculous monster costumes and #hashtag signs talking about what he deserved.....blah, blah, blah.  

 

Dancing in monster-costumes with ridiculous hashtag signs in the streets

didn't help this year's 3rd place finisher.  He still lost, and he lost badly...

It meant nothing and worked for him about as well as a belly-flop from the high dive in a pool drained of water. Newsflash:  In local contests folks do not like negative ads and they do not work!  And by the way, as Clint Eastwood famously quipped in one of his movies---"deserve's got nothing to do with it!"  and this opponent in this election was dispatched, handily, along with the costumed creatures and ridiculous hashtags..

I've also come into possession of some campaign literature from my opponents that I did not know existed on election night.  I was not aware until after the campaign that the second place finisher in the election put my picture on one of his mailers exclaiming that I "bicker" instead of work.  Sorry to see this---because listen--if you have to resort to putting an image or likeness of your opponent on your mail-piece--that is going negative.  Believe me, I wouldn't do it ever because it is an attack--even by the picture that is used it can be construed as an attack.  And it should not be done--people don't like this.  This particular opponent came in 2nd place.  For the third straight election.....

An example of a negative attack on opponents contained in one of the mailers from 2016 3rd place finisher (of 3 candidates in that race) in the D1 Commission primary Karen Sindel--where she attempted a silly "report-card" style shtick utilizing the worst pictures available of her opponents combined with ridiculous claims

So let's talk about a positive campaign versus a negative campaign, and what a negative attack campaign is.......

A positive campaign never mentions one's opponent and does not bash him/her.  A positive campaign describes the attributes the candidate will bring to the position, his/her experience, his/her vision, his/her strategy, his/her endorsements, his/her education and achievements, etc. etc.  These are the types of campaigns I have consistently run in every campaign in which I have participated.  I have NEVER ONCE printed an image of an opponent on any mail piece or on my website.  Because to do so is negative.

Negative campaigns come from candidates that are desperate and lacking vision and/or resources and/or a message that resonates with voters.  Some common themes of negative campaigns are:

--Lying about an opponent's record.

--Using surrogates to attack an opponent to keep hands clean.

--Putting an opponent's likeness on campaign literature

--Naming (by title or name)an opponent in a negative light--disparaging him/her.

Unfortunately--as I now take the time necessary to look at the multiple websites and literature of all my opponents in this race--it appears that I was overly magnanimous in my assessment of the election.  I was simply unaware of the savage attacks online and on mail pieces that were happening during the campaign.

Nope, this was a dirty, ugly campaign after all--that did not have to be.  Truly disappointing.

But hey, in 4 years and 2 months we can do it all over again if folks want to.  In 50 months--we can go again!  (wow that is a LONG time--reminds me of Leslie Nielsen's scene in Creepshow--"I can hold my breath for a long time!....")    

I'll be ready, I'll be waiting, I'll be POSITIVE, and most importantly---I'll once again be victorious should I choose to run again for this office.

50 Months... Jeez, that's a long, long time from now......