Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ Today’s instructions about running for public office in Rowan county come from someone who held elected office back in Philadelphia as a young man in the 70’s and who assisted in getting some worthy candidates into county and school board through the use of social media and in getting boots on the ground. Adding further to my ability to provide instruction is growing up in a very political family: My grandfather Ephriam was the Chairman of the Philadelphia GOP back in the 40’s, a state legislator, a prosecutor and someone who engineered many Philadelphia Republicans successful runs for public office.
My Dad “Wild Bill” Mensing was a labor editor and investigative reporter specializing in political corruption and the rackets for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Head of the local newspaper guild and an active mover and shaker in the Democratic Party, “Wild Bill” managed the successful reform mayoral campaign for Joe Clark in Philadelphia in the very early 50’s. Both my father and grandfather were treasure troves of a political acumen and campaign savvy. During campaign seasons our home phones seldom stopped ringing and a parade of local political luminaries showed up at our front door. My grandfather and father operated in the rough and tumble world of big city politics.
If you have any aspirations for public office and strongly desire to get elected, listen up. There are certain universals to getting into office and a few special keys specific to Rowan County and Salisbury.
• You better possess a voracious appetite for knowing the issues, enjoy political action, and above all you need a strong desire to carry out the work of public service. Having these three qualities are a must. You also better campaign your butt off and make yourself available to the public at every opportunity. When the polls are open you better be there meeting and greeting everyone. Politics is not a place for shy people. Your work ethic or lack thereof shows if you are not a hard campaigner.
• If you’re planning to run for public office you should be thoroughly committed to it. A little doubt at the outset of your decision is okay–but you must make up your mind and be thoroughly committed to the undertaking. No “daisy pulling” or anxious going back and forth. Once you tie the knot on your decision you best be unwavering in your commitment. You don’t waste anytime reexamining it. Your eye from here on in is on winning.
• If you are running for county commissioner or school board in Rowan County make sure you have an (R) after your name. It’s a campaign killer to be unaffiliated. Don’t even consider running as a write-in candidate. Notice in the recent county commissioner race the candidates that won all had an (R) after their names. I’m sorry to say that a good number of voters who show up to vote in the city and the county are pretty much uninformed–they vote party affiliation no matter what. The three county commission winners had a built in lead with an (R) after their name. In Salisbury a (D) or an (R) would be serviceable. For the time being a part of the Salisbury establishment or being a “friend” of 8 block is a guarantee to get you promoted in the print news. That might all change in 2015 as more and more folks begin to question what went on in city hall during the “mutual termination” of the city manager and the very likely cascade of events to take place when more of the Salisbury’s financial state and the Fibrant challenges come to light.
• If you are truly interested in public office you will already be known to the folks in your party–because you are an active participant in it. You are not a dilatant–someone who only shows up at party gatherings during campaign seasons. You will be viewed with scorn by party long timers. If you love political life, you demonstrate it by being immersed in it.
• There is nothing more humbling or unnecessary than being unprepared to discuss the details of any issue facing your constituency. Your authority is immediately questioned when you demonstrate you don’t know what you’re talking about. During campaigns I’ve inwardly winced when “candidates” stumbled over themselves betraying a lack of knowledge about an issue and then attempted to cover up with an array of other-worldly clichés and loopy platitudes. “We need to come together and be the county we really were meant to be…” On the national stage we watched Herman Cain pratfall badly over a foreign policy issue and Sarah Palin’s Vice-Presidential run go whistling down the tubes when Katie Couric’s relatively simple questions ate Sarah alive. Later comedian Tina Fey amplified Sarah’s bumbling about seeing the USSR from her window and her inability to name what magazines she read.
• If you are running for county commissioner, city council, borough alderman, or the state legislature you need to get your campaign underway at least a year prior to the November when your name winds up on the ballot. This is especially true if you are a newcomer running for Salisbury’s city council. You will be trying to unseat folks with major name recognition in the local paper, bi-weekly appearances at city council, appearances at city events, and Access 16 broadcasts for starters. They also have their “gentlemen’s agreement” with newcomers not to put up signage until 30 days prior to the election. Newcomers in this race seldom get elected.
If you are an outsider to Salisbury’s Syndicate (Historic preservationists, DSI, the Post, City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce, and the downtown merchants) your chances of ever getting elected to city council are slim to none. If you are running for county commissioner or state legislature nowadays the Salisbury Syndicate has limited reach because a huge and growing antipathy exists in the “county” toward bully Salisbury. Still you need to have your campaign launched a year ahead if you want to get elected.
• Don’t even consider running for public office unless you really connect with people. You like people and you actually listen and pay attention to folks. Next to knowing the issues, being able to articulate the issues and connect with others is a major must for elected office. Look at Rep. Carl Ford and Commissioner Caskey–warm friendly people ever ready to sincerely listen and empathize. They connect.
• Be prepared to knock on doors and talk with folks about their issues. You should make a habit of knowing everyone one you can on a first name basis in your area. These people will be your supporters and come out and vote for you and your positions on the issues. If you truly enjoy meeting with folks and hanging out with them, that is a major plus. Their stories can enlighten you about the needs of your community. If you listen, people love to tell you about what’s going on. One of the my greatest pleasures was wandering around Salisbury and the county talking with folks about what’s going on. Telephone conversations–the same thing. Having house gatherings is akin to town halls.
• You need to know how to deal with conflict and handle it with some tact. If you’re too thin-skinned and get upset easily when some disapproves of what you’re saying or doing, calls you names, starts misrepresenting what’ve you’ve said, or flat out lies, you need not sign up at the board of elections. Being a candidate will frequently put you in close proximity to “problem children”. You need to be firm with these people and let their words bounce off you as you stand your ground and keep your focus on the issues.
• Boots on the ground. Train supporters in how to talk with people about your stances on the issues and then get them out. Their face-to-face meetings with others can make an immense amount of difference.
• Money? Buying yard signs, radio spots, and newspaper ads are being surpassed by the proper use of social media.
If you want a good outcome–you best do all of the above or be prepared to be an also-ran. 2015 is only a few moments away.
