As Election Day 2018 approaches, citizens will head to the polls to choose their newest representatives. Every U.S. House seat is up, a third of the Senate, several governorships, and thousands of local positions. Some voters will actually be casting a ballot “for” someone, while others are choosing, “anyone but him/her.” The name Donald Trump will appear nowhere on anyone’s ballot. But his presence will be felt greatly at every precinct in the country.

Many political pundits seem to feel as if virtually every race for high office is a toss-up. Polls taken by supposed experts in the field also are rating many contests, “too close to call.” I’m not sure if these are the same pollsters and pundits who predicted a Hillary Clinton landslide in 2016, but it doesn’t matter. Viewers will form their own opinions and vote the way they want to in the privacy of a voting vestibule regardless of what they might tell a telephone questioner.

Here in Georgia we once again have seemingly two of the most unqualified people ever put forth by their respective political parties running for Governor. At least that’s what each campaign would have us believe of the opposition. Brain Kemp is the Republican. He came from behind to beat (rather soundly) the heir apparent to our current Governor, who is term-limited. Stacey Abrams is the Democrats’ standard-bearer. She had primary opposition as well and easily beat her opponent, another Stacy (no ‘e’).

Mailboxes of late have been stuffed with information about both Kemp and Abrams. Many television shows feature commercials about the candidates as well. And virtually none of what is written or spoken about either one is the least bit positive. If advertising is to be believed, the candidates are really kind of interchangeable. Both might as well be feeding young babies to coyotes, lying, stealing and cheating at every opportunity, spending money akin to drunken sailors during Fleet Week, running afoul of the law every time they set foot outside their houses, and not bathing very often either.

Hearing the accusations, it’s hard to believe that out of ten million Georgians, these are the best two individuals we could find to run our state. Supposedly neither can put together a cohesive thought, let alone simultaneously chew gum and walk. And we’re still a couple weeks away from Election Day. Things haven’t begun to really get nasty.

What might be nice is to actually hear something positive from either side. Here’s a novel thought: Campaign managers, why don’t you tell us how good your candidate is rather then how rotten the opposition is? Now, that’s assuming there is something good about both candidates. I may be jumping to conclusions here. Certainly it seems that none of the outside organizations that have poured (and by poured I mean monsooned) money into negative messages for each side have had much trouble finding nasty things to say. Surely one, if not both, candidate helped a little old lady across the street once upon a time. That should count for something.

As I spot-checked some other races around the country, though, it appears we in Georgia are not unique. My sources in states from coast to coast assure me they too are supposed to choose between Bum #1 and Bum #2. Positive qualities apparently don’t attract voters any more. Decisions are based on who has the least amount of negative thoughts, words, and deeds.

This November, of course, is merely a prelude to what’s coming two years hence. I’m just guessing here, but chances are the media will not lighten up on digging into the life and times of Donald J. Trump. And now Hillary and Joe Biden are making noises as if they might run. Joe’s out making stump speeches, and the Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Show isn’t taking to the road just for kicks. You’ll know which 2018 races are truly tight by the star-quality appearances for each side in each state. Just think of it this way: The bigger the airplane and entourage, the closer the contest.

In a perfect world we’d have equal coverage without opinion. Many moons ago, William McKinley and Warren G. Harding conducted presidential campaigns from the comfortable confines of their front porches in Ohio. They trusted that their policies would be accurately reported by the press (what a novelty, eh?) to help the voters choose. Now, I’m not suggesting we return to those simpler days, but moms everywhere might be on to something when they say, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

 

©MMXVIII. William J. Lewis, III  –  Freelance Writer