Election Parallels

I was a college student in 2000 when my dad was running for president. During his campaign, I engaged in countless political conversations. It wasn’t until 2001 that I realized how gravely I had underestimated George W. and his supporters. Because of that experience and the 2016 disaster, I urge Santa Barbarans to employ coordinated strategies to get the best outcome on November 7.

To those voters who are undecided or inclined to support a mayoral candidate other than Cathy Murillo, I would say that it comes down to math. If you want progressive leadership and you don’t want to embolden the conservative Frank Hotchkiss, take note of the recent poll showing Hotchkiss in the lead and consider joining the ranks of the many locals casting their vote — some enthusiastically, some strategically, some both — for Murillo.

Winning matters. After Bush won in 2000 and the shock of 9/11 and the American invasion of Iraq had passed, many people were furious. They were furious at my dad for not winning outright, furious at Nader voters, furious at Jeb Bush for “rigging” the election, furious at whoever designed the Florida ballot. Whether that election was stolen or not, Nader and his voters played a role.

I don’t begrudge anyone their choice to vote for a candidate they believe in. But it’s a fact that the way our elections are designed, winning calls for “strategic voting.”

Election reform would be nice. Getting money out of politics is crucial, and efforts like California’s “High School Voter Education Weeks” to boost voter registration are needed. Please consider joining efforts like these to strengthen our democracy.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts. I proudly support Cathy Murillo, the best choice for our future.