Why a call to "throw the bums out" won't work in 2008
“If I’m elected to the Richmond City Commission, the city will be better off because ___________.”
Once again, it looks like we’re going to have a race for the Richmond City Commission as a few brave challengers are lining up to take on incumbents.
It should prove to be an especially interesting race, but for challengers, it won’t be easy.
Why? Because whether one agrees with them or not, incumbents have governed during a time in which some very significant things have been accomplished.
Therein lies the problem for would-be commissioners: How does one persuade voters that incumbents should not be returned to office this time around, especially during a period of unprecedented economic and commercial growth?
For example, about the time the election rolls around, builders will be putting the finishing touches on a brand new shopping mall on Barnes Mill Road.
Since that project came to fruition on their watch, city commission incumbents could say, “Residents asked for more stores. We helped deliver them."
On economic development, challengers may assert it’s time for the city to do more to create jobs in Richmond. But incumbents can note the city has already been working on it for a long time, having purchased land for the industrial park while ensuring there is adequate infrastructure for that facility.
The Duncannon Lane exit is open, the city landed the Sub Zero Wolf plant, and there will be new jobs generated right here in the city of Richmond. Again, commissioners up for re-election would be missing the boat if they didn’t say, “Residents wanted more job opportunities. We delivered.”
As for the Richmond Aquatic Center, when the papers publish feature photos of kiddies splashing happily in the pool – the wonks may still be arguing about how much the pool should have cost, but no one else will care. After the pool concludes its first season, and the candidate forums are in full swing, incumbents will likely say, “We promised we’d get residents a pool. We delivered.”
I realize people will undoubtedly cry that this is a ringing endorsement of the current slate of incumbents. It’s actually a plea for challengers to come up with some fresh ideas to elevate the level of political discourse and to actually make it a race.
Woody Allen is widely quoted as saying that 80 percent of success is showing up. That principle isn’t going to work in the Richmond City Commission election of 2008.
Getting back to the blank at the end of the question above, for challengers to have a ghost of a chance in the election, they are going to have to come up with some positive ideas to fill in that blank.
For challengers who are thinking of investing their energy in denigrating incumbents as members of the “Durham Gang,” it may be useful to remember that the “throw the bums out” approach has been tried before. It makes for good political theatre, but I’d venture it doesn’t work because it doesn’t give people something affirmative to vote for.
So instead of, "Vote for me because my opponent sucks," why not:
“If I’m elected to the Richmond City Commission, the city will be better off because…I’ll work to have more state-of-the-art daycare facilities built near our industrial park, so we can help working families and attract good workers to our industries.”
Or, “If I’m elected to the Richmond City Commission, the city will be better off because…I’ll work to reinvigorate our Main Street shopping district by pushing for the purchase of land to build a downtown parking garage.”
Or, “If I’m elected to the Richmond City Commission, the city will be better off because…I’ll work to give our police officers the tools, rewards and incentives to help build better police/community relations in troubled neighborhoods.”
Of course, a populist cry urging voters to “throw the bums out” takes the least effort. But I predict that negative approach would likely yield dismal results for challengers in November.
Once again, it looks like we’re going to have a race for the Richmond City Commission as a few brave challengers are lining up to take on incumbents.
It should prove to be an especially interesting race, but for challengers, it won’t be easy.
Why? Because whether one agrees with them or not, incumbents have governed during a time in which some very significant things have been accomplished.
Therein lies the problem for would-be commissioners: How does one persuade voters that incumbents should not be returned to office this time around, especially during a period of unprecedented economic and commercial growth?
For example, about the time the election rolls around, builders will be putting the finishing touches on a brand new shopping mall on Barnes Mill Road.
Since that project came to fruition on their watch, city commission incumbents could say, “Residents asked for more stores. We helped deliver them."
On economic development, challengers may assert it’s time for the city to do more to create jobs in Richmond. But incumbents can note the city has already been working on it for a long time, having purchased land for the industrial park while ensuring there is adequate infrastructure for that facility.
The Duncannon Lane exit is open, the city landed the Sub Zero Wolf plant, and there will be new jobs generated right here in the city of Richmond. Again, commissioners up for re-election would be missing the boat if they didn’t say, “Residents wanted more job opportunities. We delivered.”
As for the Richmond Aquatic Center, when the papers publish feature photos of kiddies splashing happily in the pool – the wonks may still be arguing about how much the pool should have cost, but no one else will care. After the pool concludes its first season, and the candidate forums are in full swing, incumbents will likely say, “We promised we’d get residents a pool. We delivered.”
I realize people will undoubtedly cry that this is a ringing endorsement of the current slate of incumbents. It’s actually a plea for challengers to come up with some fresh ideas to elevate the level of political discourse and to actually make it a race.
Woody Allen is widely quoted as saying that 80 percent of success is showing up. That principle isn’t going to work in the Richmond City Commission election of 2008.
Getting back to the blank at the end of the question above, for challengers to have a ghost of a chance in the election, they are going to have to come up with some positive ideas to fill in that blank.
For challengers who are thinking of investing their energy in denigrating incumbents as members of the “Durham Gang,” it may be useful to remember that the “throw the bums out” approach has been tried before. It makes for good political theatre, but I’d venture it doesn’t work because it doesn’t give people something affirmative to vote for.
So instead of, "Vote for me because my opponent sucks," why not:
“If I’m elected to the Richmond City Commission, the city will be better off because…I’ll work to have more state-of-the-art daycare facilities built near our industrial park, so we can help working families and attract good workers to our industries.”
Or, “If I’m elected to the Richmond City Commission, the city will be better off because…I’ll work to reinvigorate our Main Street shopping district by pushing for the purchase of land to build a downtown parking garage.”
Or, “If I’m elected to the Richmond City Commission, the city will be better off because…I’ll work to give our police officers the tools, rewards and incentives to help build better police/community relations in troubled neighborhoods.”
Of course, a populist cry urging voters to “throw the bums out” takes the least effort. But I predict that negative approach would likely yield dismal results for challengers in November.