An important decision next Tuesday

ANNE HART
Posted 6/20/18

Next Tuesday, June 26 is primary day for Democratic Congressional Candidates in New York. Registered Democrats in this congressional district have seven accomplished and dynamic candidates. In the …

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An important decision next Tuesday

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Next Tuesday, June 26 is primary day for Democratic Congressional Candidates in New York.

Registered Democrats in this congressional district have seven accomplished and dynamic candidates. In the last year I’ve had the time to meet all but one of the candidates, and to watch all or parts of the various forums that have taken place around the district. In many discussions about the candidates it’s become clear to me that many if not most of us are bewildered about which candidate to choose. We have busy lives, and political races are not our first priority. The blessing of many choices becomes the burden of homework that we don’t have time to do. We want a candidate who can win in the general election in November. There is no independent polling in this race, so we’re left to our own devices, discussions with friends and colleagues, lists of endorsements and campaign-generated promotions and platform positions. Many struggle with the question of what criteria to use.

Is it money raised? Not necessarily. In the last two races, the Democratic candidate had more money that the Republican opponent. The Democrat lost both times.

It sounds obvious to point to the concept of electability, but what does that mean? Simply put, this is a job interview.

What is the candidate’s relevant experience? How do they work with a team? What in their work history shows that they would be able to successfully represent us in Congress? When government actually works, it produces compromise. While detailed platform positions may tell us what a candidate thinks is a solution, it may not tell us how the candidate can work with others to best achieve that goal. In his job as travelling press secretary for the governor’s office, Gareth Rhodes travelled the state after Hurricane Irene, gathering real-time information on what people needed to be able to recover. Dave Clegg has a well-documented history of service to his community.

How effective are the candidate’s communication skills? Are TV ads, flyers and phone calls enough? I’m more impressed by the number of times a candidate has actually shown up. All of the candidates but one has been here. Three of them, Dave Clegg, Brian Flynn and Gareth Rhodes, have been here repeatedly over the last year. Gareth Rhodes is the candidate who remembers your name the next time he sees you.

Is the candidate a good fit for this district? Does the candidate understand the district well enough to represent its particular and diverse needs? Rhodes has been to all 163 towns in this district, spending time learning about the issues that concern people. Length of residency mattered in past races. Voters rejected candidates who “parachuted in” to run for office. Each candidate claims some form of local connection, but some, like Dave Clegg, have deep ties in the community.

Endorsements are letters of recommendation. The endorsement of someone in Columbia County means little. An endorsement from someone in Sullivan County means more if you know the endorser and can decide what weight to give the endorsement. A Union endorsement from a local with membership in the district carries weight. Union workers support the candidates they have chosen. Gareth Rhodes has the endorsement of the Communications Workers of America Local 1120 and Teamsters Locals 445 and 456. Brian Flynn was endorsed by the Transit Workers Union, which was founded by his grandfather.

Try the lens of a job interview as you take another look at the candidates this weekend. It should help you decide which candidate is the best fit to represent us.

[Anne Hart is a resident of Liberty, NY and business owner in Youngsville, NY.]

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