Tonight I screen with the Montgomery County Democratic Party screening committee- the “inner circle” of the private club that believes it’s in their best interest to pick candidates in primaries. The Greene County party, refuses to endorse in primaries- understanding that a primary is exactly that: a chance for the party’s voters to make a choice. The Montgomery County Dems could easily endorse every candidate who screens in the Dayton City Commission race who is a Democrat, and hope that the primary knocks out Republican candidates, but, that wouldn’t be their style.
They like to pick people like Clayton Luckie (convicted yesterday of a host of felonies [1] related to theft in office, as a sitting Ohio State representative) who are part of the “Monarchy of Montgomery County” that keeps the patronage/favoritism operation going in political offices across the county.
In my last race, the party endorsed Sharen Neuhardt to run against Mike Turner. They believed her “fundraising abilities” would give them a chance to take on Mike Turner. Of course, people who raise a lot of money then spend it hiring their friends to work on campaigns, and buy printing from “union shops” (a farce today in the printing industry) and still lose thanks to gerrymandering and a total incompetence of the local parties at real voter activation (the Obama campaign doesn’t use the local data or network of workers to run their campaign- which was successful).
Take a look at the numbers and weep:
Michael R. Turner (R) * Winner (60% of vote) 208,201 ($5.16 per vote)
- Raised: $1,222,129
- Spent: $1,073,860
- Cash on Hand: $287,565
Last Report: November 26, 2012
Individual contributions
- Small Contributions $32,139 (3%)
- Large Contributions $748,160 (61%)
- PAC contributions $441,115 (36%)
- Candidate self-financing $0 (0%)
- Other $715 (0%)
Sharen Neuhardt (D) (37% of vote) 131,097 ($4.36 per vote)
- Raised: $571,531
- Spent: $571,063
- Cash on Hand: $4,058
Last Report: November 26, 2012
Individual contributions
- Small Contributions $66,363 (12%)
- Large Contributions $398,123 (70%)
- PAC contributions $79,451 (14%)
- Candidate self-financing $22,674 (4%)
- Other $4,921 (1%)
via Congressional Elections: Ohio District 10 Race: 2012 Cycle | OpenSecrets [2].
For comparison, in the non-presidential year 2010, the very lame Democratic candidate, Joe Roberts, a 25-year-old Democratic party pogue, received 31% of the vote raising $7,322 and “spending” $6,170 ( I have spending in quotes because he skipped out of town on his campaign office rent- owing a single mother who owned the property several thousand dollars). For Sharen Neuhardt, who put almost 3x her own money in than Joe Roberts spent in total and still only getting 6% more of the vote in a much easier district to campaign in, is criminal. This wasn’t Sharen’s first rodeo, she had her inaugural 2008 debacle against Steve Austria where she was running for an open seat and spent $838,992 to get 42% (113,099 or $7.422 per vote) of the vote.
I’ll post my answers to the Screening Committee questions like I have in the past. But, at some point, it sure would be nice to:
- run in a race that was measured by the quality of your ideas, instead of your ability to waste money on campaign trash.
- have a political party that cares more about winning seats than seating friends and family
- be elected by voters who are well informed, having resources to properly educate themselves on the issues and the candidates.
Until then- we’ll continue to have the best politicians money can buy.
And- as a side note, another one of campaign ads has won an ADDY award from the American Advertising Federation. Last year, my foreclosure spot won a silver and this year the panhandling campaign won (I won’t know what level Gold, Silver, Bronze till mid-February).
And for some strange reason- it didn’t publish this am. Needless to say, I might be the best candidate, the smartest candidate, the one with all the answers- but because I won’t drop out if they don’t endorse me, and I won’t support Nan – I’m public enemy number one. Note, if AJ and Nan beat Gary in the primary (unlikely) I’ll work my butt off to get AJ elected.
One of my mantra’s is “to aspire to be the dumbest person in the room.” Tonight in that screening committee- well…. let’s see who and how they endorse.
David:
Why kick them in the teeth before you even talk with them? Like it or not, we all have environments that we have to work within. You cannot effect change by continuing to bad mouth the establishment. The “Enemy Within” is so much more effective.
you are essentially laying out your strategy and begging for it to be thwarted.
Hi NKA- because I don’t believe the party should endorse in primaries. They don’t do it in Greene county, or anywhere else. Why have a primary if you have the boys and girls in the back room deciding for us? Hell, why even have an election?
You know, since being elected in November 2009, no one from the Democratic Party has ever sat down with me and asked me about my vision for the city and how they could help me achieve the stuff that went along with their vision. No one! Yet we have moved ahead anyway. This renaissance has velocity! It seems that the people who believe they are in charge can not stop the pace at which we are moving forward. Even though they are not neccessarily contributing to the momentum. They will take credit for it though. That is what they do.
Can a city ordinance demand that banks take care of properties? I mean that would increase the revenue for the city of Dayton tremendously! I just figured it was illegal or the city didn’t care.
BTW, Mayor Leitzell, I love the spirit you’ve been bringing to my hometown.
Welcome Nicholaus- I believe that banks shouldn’t have the help of the sheriff to evict, if they aren’t going to maintain the properties in the same shape as when they take possession. I also believe that if it’s ok for banks to force insurance as part of the loan, it’s perfectly acceptable to force them to insure the properties against theft, vandalism and fire. Please consider supporting my along with Mayor Leitzell in taking on these issues.
[…] Because in real advertising, if the product or service doesn’t perform as advertising- there are real penalties. In politics, they just get elected and re-elected. Unfortunately, this spot- and the one on foreclosures that won a Silver last year, didn’t get seen by enough voters to make a difference. For that to have happened, I would have had to raise at least $15K – a far deal less than Sharen Neuhardt spent on her botched run. […]