How I size it up (0.00 / 0)

Bruce started with a huge advantage, being extremely well-known and well-respected among Democratic insiders across the county. This not only got Bruce a lot of votes directly, but it also got him the endorsements of almost all of the Democratic clubs, who were choosing between an old friend and somebody we had never heard of. These endorsements wound up pulling in a bunch more voters. Against this sort of juggernaut, Stanley Wilson never got any traction.

In truth, Stanley Wilson was extremely well qualified. People who took the time to talk with him one-on-one learned that he understands the tax assessor's office amazingly well, and that he would have made an excellent chief. Maybe not as good as we expect Bruce to be, but excellent nevertheless.

But aside from the African-American precincts, he remained an unknown, and his campaign went nowhere.

For the record, I voted for Bruce and contributed to his campaign. But I insist on giving Stan Wilson his due. It's a real shame that the local political landscape never let him be heard, and that most voters never got the opportunity to make an informed choice. (When it comes to down-ballot races, they rarely do.)

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by: LSadun @ Sun Aug 19, 2012 at 00:56:10 AM UTC