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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2008 > October > 01 > Entry
Making a case to challenge an incumbent
As you probably know, I’m new to the editorial board. So these past few weeks have been an initiation for me to the endorsement process. During the couple months before an election, the DDN invites the candidates in key local races to come in and make their cases for why they should be elected. The editorial board listens to their arguments and we make recommendations to our readers about who we think would do the best job. Then it’s up to readers to decide if we convince them that we are right.
So over these recent weeks, it has been interesting to meet the candidates and hear their pitches. The extra burden on challengers is evident — they must make a case for why an incumbent should be turned out of office to make way for somebody new.
Those arguments are not always convincing.
My colleague Martin Gottlieb touched on this issue in the DDN’s recommendation of Miami County Commissioner Jack Evans.
Evans, an incumbent, is challenged by Judy Hartman, a quality opponent with a strong resume for public office. As with many challengers, Hartman is running under the flag of a minority party that rarely wins in her particular race. In this case, Hartman is a Democrat in a very Republican county. Just as often, we meet Republican challengers running in heavily Democratic areas.
Frequently, the argument at the top of these challengers’ lists for why they should be elected is the need for diversity of opinion. One party rule is dangerous, they say, so voters should elect them to represent a different point of view. Hartman, in fact, made the need for a Democrat on the Miami County Commission a centerpiece of her argument for her candidacy.
Fortunately, Hartman had more than just that on her resume. And that’s what challengers need — a persuasive argument for why they are the best choice for voters. Too often they make it sound like any Democrat or Republican will do.
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