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To know the candidate, know the associates

 
Published Oct. 19, 2016

When we vote for a candidate, we select more than the man or woman whose carefully enhanced or debased image appears on the television commercials or the cardboard flyers that come in the mail. We are showing our support for a whole posse of people — power brokers who approach and are approached before hats are thrown into the ring, campaign staffers who shape the message and control access to the candidate, financial contributors.

The collective nature of a campaign can make the behavior of its members an important consideration in deciding how to vote. That's why there is cause for concern in news of profane, demeaning Facebook exchanges involving the campaign manager for the Republican nominee in Hillsborough County Commission District 6.

The candidate, Tim Schock, acted swiftly to condemn the posts and dismiss Daniel Davis once Schock was questioned about them Wednesday by staff writer Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times. Davis used a homosexual slur, told a military veteran he didn't respect his service, told a firefighter to "go die in a fire" and insinuated a man's young daughter would have to "whore herself out to get through college."

The incident reflects poorly on a Schock campaign now in damage control mode. On the one hand, Schock downplayed Davis' role, describing him as a glorified intern working more on scheduling than messaging or strategy. On the other, he sent Davis in his place to a candidate forum and faces an allegation he was indeed informed of Davis' digital indiscretions soon after they happened.

In a different way, a staffer with another local Republican candidate raised eyebrows last week with a spirited Twitter criticism of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump — a departure from the candidate's own neutral public position on Trump. In this case, state House candidate Jackie Toledo of Tampa had nothing to say about the actions of her spokeswoman, Ryan Wiggins, merely reiterating to Times correspondent William March that Toledo is declining to take a position on Trump.

Wiggins was wholly justified in calling Trump a "pig" for his sexist remarks about women. But in making their decision on the Toledo race, Trump supporters will surely consider that the woman who speaks for her — and to an unusual, almost exclusive extent — loathes their top-of-the-ballot nominee.

Both these episodes provide a glimpse at the people surrounding the candidate and warrant consideration in any decision on whether to vote for them. And they point up the importance of learning more about the posse before deciding how to vote.

One tried-and-true way to accomplish this is to look up campaign contribution databases at the websites of the Florida Division of Elections and the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections.

The candidate has yet to be born who acknowledges any connection between campaign contributions and his or her behavior in office. Still, major campaign contributors don't give money to campaigns without expecting something in return, if only access to the candidate.

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Two races, really, are run in each election — first, the race to raise the most money, and second, the race to win office. Candidate denials notwithstanding, knowing which donors align themselves with a candidate can help voters understand whose interests might get extra consideration in office.

Aside from individual contributions, patterns emerge in any review of the contribution databases. Knowing that a number of people from one particular profession are backing a candidate, for example, or that the bulk of contributions are from small donors might help voters reach a decision.

In the end, the candidate gets the vote. But knowing who stands behind him or her will make it a more responsible one.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this editorial stated incorrectly which presidential candidate is backed by Ryan Wiggins, spokeswoman for Jackie Toledo. Wiggins supports former U.S. intelligence officer Evan McMullin of Utah.