RSS
It's tough picking races for endorsements
Last week I discussed The Oakland Press endorsement policy, which can get complicated in our effort to be fair to the candidates and informative to the readers.
One of the first decisions also is one of the toughest — in which races to endorse candidates.
The criteria is somewhat lives. We have to look at not just the significance of the race, but how contested the position is. Editorial Board members ask ourselves, is this a race where our readers would like us make a selection?
In some cases, the answer may be obvious. For example, selecting either the Republican or Democratic candidate for Michigan governor — Rick Snyder and Virg Bernero — is probably a no-brainer. That’s an important position and the winner of this race must try to lead the state out of this extended recession. It won’t be easy and success is never guaranteed, no matter which candidate wins in November.
But in the congressional races, the decision whether to endorse or not becomes much more difficult, depending upon the race.
For example, most likely we will select one candidate in the 9th District race. This contest pits Republican Rocky Raczkowski of Farmington Hills against incumbent Democrat Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township. The rhetoric in this race has been ongoing since Peters was elected in 2008 in a district that historically was Republican-dominated.
But another congressional race that we may not make an endorsement in is the 8th District seat held by U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, whose district includes much of north Oakland County. Rogers, in a worst case scenario, will be running against a write-in candidate. As the incumbent, Rogers would probably defeat an official candidate who was selected in the primary. But currently, it would take some kind of political miracle for a write-in candidate to beat Rogers. Consequently, there’s probably no need to go through the endorsement process in this race.
This November’s ballot is so jammed with races that few newspapers, if any, could conceivable try to endorse in all of them and do candidates and their readers justice.
So, as often is the case in journalism, who to endorse and in which races comes down to a judgment call. We won’t pretend to always be right but we do try to always be fair.
And we’re always open to suggestions from our readers. What criteria do you think we should use in selecting races for endorsements?
One of the first decisions also is one of the toughest — in which races to endorse candidates.
The criteria is somewhat lives. We have to look at not just the significance of the race, but how contested the position is. Editorial Board members ask ourselves, is this a race where our readers would like us make a selection?
In some cases, the answer may be obvious. For example, selecting either the Republican or Democratic candidate for Michigan governor — Rick Snyder and Virg Bernero — is probably a no-brainer. That’s an important position and the winner of this race must try to lead the state out of this extended recession. It won’t be easy and success is never guaranteed, no matter which candidate wins in November.
But in the congressional races, the decision whether to endorse or not becomes much more difficult, depending upon the race.
For example, most likely we will select one candidate in the 9th District race. This contest pits Republican Rocky Raczkowski of Farmington Hills against incumbent Democrat Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township. The rhetoric in this race has been ongoing since Peters was elected in 2008 in a district that historically was Republican-dominated.
But another congressional race that we may not make an endorsement in is the 8th District seat held by U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, whose district includes much of north Oakland County. Rogers, in a worst case scenario, will be running against a write-in candidate. As the incumbent, Rogers would probably defeat an official candidate who was selected in the primary. But currently, it would take some kind of political miracle for a write-in candidate to beat Rogers. Consequently, there’s probably no need to go through the endorsement process in this race.
This November’s ballot is so jammed with races that few newspapers, if any, could conceivable try to endorse in all of them and do candidates and their readers justice.
So, as often is the case in journalism, who to endorse and in which races comes down to a judgment call. We won’t pretend to always be right but we do try to always be fair.
And we’re always open to suggestions from our readers. What criteria do you think we should use in selecting races for endorsements?
posted by Allan Adler at
8:38 AM
3 Comments:
Go ahead and endorse Rogers. Michigan needs more cowardly, lying, racist and facist weasels like him in congress.
The Oakland Press has been endorsing scum like Rogers for decades.
So why don't you endorse Rogers, now that Lance Enderle is an official Democratic Opponent? Make him spend his War Chest of PAC money so he can't give it to Rocky in the 9th District. Let Oakland County know that Mr. Rogers strongly opposes replacing coal and oil with alternate energies, favors privatizing Social Security, favors support and expand free trade (NAFTA), rated one the worst congressman indicating an anti-union voting record (wants Michigan to be right to work state to bolster his own E.B.I building company paving the way for lower wages). Remember to paint the picture of Mr. Rogers as an incumbent that has been in office for 10 years, thats about as long as Michigan has been in this recession. I think it is time to get rid of Mr. Rogers on K Street. Give Lance a Chance!
I wish it had been better publicized that the League of Women Voters candidate questionnaire was available on line for the primary. I found out after I had sent in my absentee ballot. The questionnaire will be published and available at libraries for the general election Nov 2. I use this along with newspaper endorsements in my selection process.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home