Me: I'm sorry this is so stressful.
Primo: I feel better now. I talked to Campaign Manager and to [someone else with influence whose role I cannot remember]. They reminded me that the County Mayor* might not be so eager to fund a campaign against me - I already have endorsements from nine pretty prominent, powerful legislators.
Me: That's true!
Primo: And several unions.
Me: exACTLY!
Primo: He's not going to go against that. And Not Running Again (NRA) - he can primary me if he wants, but he is not going to get party support because I already have it. Plus he is not known outside of his district.
Me: AND he's a jerk!
Primo: I feel better.
Me: BAM!
Primo: I have to get to that dinner** early so I can ask [other prominent union leaders, politicians, and people of influence] for their endorsements.
Me: You have A PLAN!!!
Primo: Yes. Normally, you wait until after the filing deadline**** to ask for endorsements, but CM suggested I ask for them now.
Me: Great idea!
Primo: If NRA wants to run, go ahead. But it won't change my strategy. It might mean I campaign harder a little earlier----
Me: But it won't be wasted effort.
Primo: Nope.
Me: Knock 'em dead.
* The County Mayor has funded several campaigns against incumbents he doesn't like. He is trying to get a lot of power, which I totally get - that is how humans can be sometimes, but I don't agree with how he wants to use his power. He wants to develop EVERYTHING. Also - he is a rich kid who has never had to work for his own money. He had thousands of dollars in parking tickets a few years ago - all from the same location - because it was worth $36 a shot to park where he wanted to park. He's That Guy.
** I call it the "X Party Prom." Because it is. It's a prom for grownups.
*** No, I am not going. Why do you ask? Why on earth would I torture myself by spending a Saturday evening hanging out with politicians? Please.
**** The deadline for turning in the nominating petitions. For Primo's race, the deadline is early June, so he is asking (April, May) over two months ahead of time.
Friday, May 18, 2018
The Candidate's Wife: Primo and I reminisce about what a jerk Not Running Again is
Primo: Remember when NRA emailed that woman who wrote to him about the development and said, "I appreciate how much courage it must have taken for you to cut and paste from a form letter?"
Thursday, May 17, 2018
The Candidate's Wife: Primo is despondent because there is gossip that Party Insiders want to primary him but he doesn't know who or what
But he does think he knows why. I have made some reference, I believe, to the development issues facing our city. We live in an older neighborhood - a first-ring suburb of houses built around the wars close to downtown. Our city has great public schools, really nice houses, and great services. It's a nice place to live.
The developers want to put high-density housing in the middle of neighborhoods of single-family homes. They want to build five-story buildings next to single-family homes.
I am not hearing any support for from people who actually live near the proposed development. Primo and I did not support the building of a 66-unit apartment building on the church parking lot two blocks from our house. We do not support development on the grounds of some really nice parkland in our city.
But there are people who want this development to happen. The people who would make money from it, of course. People who are much richer than we are and live in much fancier neighborhoods where this sort of thing would never be allowed to happen.
He has been told - but nobody will give him actual names - that the Establishment wants to run someone against him.
Primo: They aren't even doing me the courtesy of letting me know! That's how it's supposed to work.
Me: It's kind of as if during WWII, after we had started fighting the Germans, the Russians, and the Japanese, Illinois had also decided to fight against us.
Primo: This is not how it's done!
Me: It must feel like you have been betrayed.
Primo: I'm the one who ran in this district when nobody thought it was winnable. I have run three times! I'm the one who has put in the work. I'm the one with the name recognition. They should be supporting me, not fighting me.
Me: Except - they know you are not a Big Money Guy. That you're not a sellout. That you would not support big development deals.
Primo: I wouldn't!
Me: I didn't think your party was officially about Big Money and Developers.
Primo: They're not supposed to be!
Me: So as long as they say the right things about the social issues, it's OK for them to screw the little people over on anything to do with money?
Primo: Maybe.
The developers want to put high-density housing in the middle of neighborhoods of single-family homes. They want to build five-story buildings next to single-family homes.
I am not hearing any support for from people who actually live near the proposed development. Primo and I did not support the building of a 66-unit apartment building on the church parking lot two blocks from our house. We do not support development on the grounds of some really nice parkland in our city.
But there are people who want this development to happen. The people who would make money from it, of course. People who are much richer than we are and live in much fancier neighborhoods where this sort of thing would never be allowed to happen.
He has been told - but nobody will give him actual names - that the Establishment wants to run someone against him.
Primo: They aren't even doing me the courtesy of letting me know! That's how it's supposed to work.
Me: It's kind of as if during WWII, after we had started fighting the Germans, the Russians, and the Japanese, Illinois had also decided to fight against us.
Primo: This is not how it's done!
Me: It must feel like you have been betrayed.
Primo: I'm the one who ran in this district when nobody thought it was winnable. I have run three times! I'm the one who has put in the work. I'm the one with the name recognition. They should be supporting me, not fighting me.
Me: Except - they know you are not a Big Money Guy. That you're not a sellout. That you would not support big development deals.
Primo: I wouldn't!
Me: I didn't think your party was officially about Big Money and Developers.
Primo: They're not supposed to be!
Me: So as long as they say the right things about the social issues, it's OK for them to screw the little people over on anything to do with money?
Primo: Maybe.
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
The Candidate's Wife: Primo gets a cryptic message from the city council candidate who ran against the woman who won
Remember how Not Running Again City Councilman (NRA) tried to intimidate a candidate for his seat into not running?
Primo stepped into that fray and supported the woman who was running. He also had a beer with the other candidate, whom we shall call Candidate B.
I met Candidate B. Nice guy. Nothing wrong with him. But Woman Candidate was very clear and strong in her message of Let's Stop This Crazy Re-Zoning Required Development.
After Woman Candidate won, Primo sent a message to Candidate B, saying he ran a good race and Primo's support of Woman Candidate was not personal against Candidate B. He suggested Candidate B and he get together for another beer.
Candidate B did not answer the beer question, but wrote back that Primo had not "seen the last of [Candidate B]."
Which Primo takes to suggest that Candidate B might primary Primo for the State House.
To which I said, "But he couldn't even win the City Council seat!"
To which Primo answered, "But he would get the developer money behind him for this race."
We both sighed.
Developers. Big Money. Must money always win in politics?
Primo stepped into that fray and supported the woman who was running. He also had a beer with the other candidate, whom we shall call Candidate B.
I met Candidate B. Nice guy. Nothing wrong with him. But Woman Candidate was very clear and strong in her message of Let's Stop This Crazy Re-Zoning Required Development.
After Woman Candidate won, Primo sent a message to Candidate B, saying he ran a good race and Primo's support of Woman Candidate was not personal against Candidate B. He suggested Candidate B and he get together for another beer.
Candidate B did not answer the beer question, but wrote back that Primo had not "seen the last of [Candidate B]."
Which Primo takes to suggest that Candidate B might primary Primo for the State House.
To which I said, "But he couldn't even win the City Council seat!"
To which Primo answered, "But he would get the developer money behind him for this race."
We both sighed.
Developers. Big Money. Must money always win in politics?
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
The Candidate's Wife: I am surprised into having a frank discussion with Primo's campaign manager so I try to channel my management hero, Alison Greene of Ask A Manager, a blog you should be reading every day
I have not been happy with Primo's campaign manager. I thought that by January, we should have a complete campaign strategy and a week by week plan for doors, media, mailing, events, whatever.
We do not have that.
I suggested to Primo that if the campaign manager was not going to do manage the campaign, perhaps Primo should fire him.
Primo was reluctant to do so - Campaign Manager (CM) is our friend.
(Which is why YOU DO NOT GO INTO BUSINESS WITH YOUR FRIENDS.)
(OR IF YOU DO, YOU WRITE DOWN THE TERMS FIRST!)
I told Primo really specific things CM should be doing and suggested he and CM talk about them.
Here's the deal - Primo is not a planner. He gets things done, but by staying up all night to meet his deadlines.
CM is also like that.
Primo needs someone like me running his campaign.
Only I do not want to do that job.
I got home from work and CM was in our kitchen!
Surprise!!!!
Primo: CM is here. I've been telling him the things you have been saying. He knows everything.
Me [Oh man.]
Primo: I think it would be useful for you to explain what you mean to him because you are much better at organizing than I am.
Me [SERIOUSLY!? You are dumping this on me?]
CM: I really want to hear what you have to say, Goldie. It's OK.
Me [IHateToGiveNegativeFeedbackIHateToGiveNegativeFeedbackIHateToGiveNegativeFeedbackWhatWouldAlisonDo?WhatWouldAlisonDo?WhatWouldAlisonDo?]
I take a deep breath and think about What Alison Would Do.
Clear, direct, objective statements.
Me: CM. I want to see a written campaign strategy.
Me: CM and Primo. I want you guys to meet at least once a week. I suggest you meet every Friday.
Me: CM. You need to be sending us a statement of account every month.
Me: CM. I love you. You're a friend. We want you to succeed as a campaign manager. But - you have to bring more value to us than we are paying. You need to find donors and you need to find voters we would not otherwise reach.
Me: CM. You guys have to finish that highway construction ad you were filming.
Me: I really don't want to be involved in this! I do not want to manage a campaign!
We do not have that.
I suggested to Primo that if the campaign manager was not going to do manage the campaign, perhaps Primo should fire him.
Primo was reluctant to do so - Campaign Manager (CM) is our friend.
(Which is why YOU DO NOT GO INTO BUSINESS WITH YOUR FRIENDS.)
(OR IF YOU DO, YOU WRITE DOWN THE TERMS FIRST!)
I told Primo really specific things CM should be doing and suggested he and CM talk about them.
Here's the deal - Primo is not a planner. He gets things done, but by staying up all night to meet his deadlines.
CM is also like that.
Primo needs someone like me running his campaign.
Only I do not want to do that job.
I got home from work and CM was in our kitchen!
Surprise!!!!
Primo: CM is here. I've been telling him the things you have been saying. He knows everything.
Me [Oh man.]
Primo: I think it would be useful for you to explain what you mean to him because you are much better at organizing than I am.
Me [SERIOUSLY!? You are dumping this on me?]
CM: I really want to hear what you have to say, Goldie. It's OK.
Me [IHateToGiveNegativeFeedbackIHateToGiveNegativeFeedbackIHateToGiveNegativeFeedbackWhatWouldAlisonDo?WhatWouldAlisonDo?WhatWouldAlisonDo?]
I take a deep breath and think about What Alison Would Do.
Clear, direct, objective statements.
Me: CM. I want to see a written campaign strategy.
Me: CM and Primo. I want you guys to meet at least once a week. I suggest you meet every Friday.
Me: CM. You need to be sending us a statement of account every month.
Me: CM. I love you. You're a friend. We want you to succeed as a campaign manager. But - you have to bring more value to us than we are paying. You need to find donors and you need to find voters we would not otherwise reach.
Me: CM. You guys have to finish that highway construction ad you were filming.
Me: I really don't want to be involved in this! I do not want to manage a campaign!
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