The Main — July 6: Political Endorsement Season
OPINION: Endorsements from regular people are great. Those from people with a platform and connections are far less so.
Former United States President Donald Trump is endorsing Republican candidates in North Carolina, and the fundraising money has followed. Secretary Hillary Clinton is now endorsing district attorney candidates in Manhattan. And in Alberta, in the midst of an inquiry into anti-energy campaigns that’s on an extension (we’ve honestly lost count of which extension number it is), Steven Allan, the inquiry’s government appointed commissioner, is now endorsing Jeff Davison for mayor in Calgary.
As a writer looking in on politics from way outside (I come from working-class stock that’s about as connected as an iPhone without a battery), I’ve long asked what gives when it comes to political endorsements. During my year as an intern reporter in Kenya, I looked into why Daniel arap Moi, a former president and to some Kenya’s last strong-man-type, who was succeeded by democratically-elected presidents, was endorsing candidates in the 2007 presidential election (my ancient story for the Ottawa Citizen is here).
Candidate endorsements in the lower stakes of municipal elections are wholesome and honest — when offered up by your neighbours and community members, at least. They become much, much less so, however, when the person involved has a platform or power, and is essentially advocating for a candidate to join the esteemed club.
Allan’s letter appears to be the second type. Allan, we should recall, reportedly campaigned for Doug Schweitzer, who’s now the Minister of Justice, and then received from Schweitzer’s department the plum appointment worth $290,000 to head up the now never-ending inquiry. And now, as Calgary stares down a decisive election at a critical economic moment, Allan is offering up suggestions to those who receive his letter that, for Davison, “the most critical need is for funding.”
Ah, yes, that’s what an endorsement often really is about — a suggestion to those in someone’s network to open their pockets and donate. Municipal politics is not cheap in Canada or Alberta, but in comparison with the United States, it absolutely is. In New York City, for example, Bill de Blasio spent $2.48-million (USD) to run for mayor.
Davison, to his credit, has committed to showing who’s donating to his campaign in real-time. As reported by our friends at LiveWire Calgary, Davison’s campaign:
“ … said when their campaign website is in full swing, voters will be able to view donations as they come in and are vetted and verified. The campaign said the donor information will populate automatically.”
We’ll be watching.
Top photo: Steven Allan and Jeff Davison. Sources: Albertainquiry.ca; Twitter