What does a political endorsement really mean?
Another election season, another round of wild accusations as competing camps try to smear their opponents. We asked Planning Commissioner, ex SJ Councilmember, and veteran of the local campaign scene Pierluigi Oliverio to separate fact from fiction, spin from substance, about what's behind political endorsements.
Opportunity Now: Is an endorsement from a special interest group evidence that the politician they're backing is lined up with everything that group believes in?
Pierluigi Oliverio: No, it's variable and depends on the endorser and the candidate they endorse. It can mean that the candidate is on board with enough of what the interest group supports--compared to other candidates--to warrant their support. Sometimes it means the interest group is simply choosing between what they perceive to be the lesser of two evils. Sometimes it means the candidate is in lock step with the interest group on their key issues since they may have worked and/or been an active member of the organization that provides the endorsement.
It just depends, there is no hard and fast rule.
ON: If the interest group isn't really fully aligned with a candidate, why would they endorse them?
PO: They can abstain, but it's rare. Interest groups endorse so they can have--you guessed it--influence. So they want someone they can call on if they get elected. It doesn't have to be a mirror image of themselves, but at least someone who will take their call.
ON: So it sounds like you're saying that the endorsement does not necessarily suggest some deep affinity--it can mean a spectrum of affinity on key issues, it can even be opportunistic. How can voters tell what's going on?
PO: If there was more transparency around the endorsement conversations we would have a better idea. I suppose the candidate could provide to the public the original copy of their answers to an endorsement questionnaire. But that would only take you so far--a lot of time these endorsements are done by private conversations.
ON: Sounds pretty creepy if there's a gov't security camera recording your conversation with candidates.
PO: We don't ask people who put up political signs in their window to explain why they are supporting a particular candidate. So hard to imagine we would demand special interests groups do so. We believe in secret ballots and the First Amendment. People should be able to express their political affiliations as privately or as publicly as they want, without having to be coerced by government or the media or social pressure to explain it. There is a scary whiff of tyranny about that concept.
ON: So it sounds like voters should be careful not to read too much into any particular endorsement unless there's some public information providing direction and clarification.
PO: It's a grey area. Some voters are moved by endorsements, others could care less. Sometimes it helps a candidate, sometimes people will use an endorsement as a reason to vote against somebody. It just depends.
Related to this I think it is important to point out that interest groups do not have a monopoly on their members' vote and ultimately not everyone will agree with the board decision, just like everything else in life. This is best showcased by political parties as if the individuals cannot think for themselves. I am still struck with the injustice done to Senator Bernie Sanders.
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Image by Phil Roeder