You know what happens when you assume . . . on campaign endorsers

by: and another thing

Fri Jul 30, 2010 at 13:46:58 PM MDT

Step 1: Make sure everything's spelled correctly.  Step 2: Make sure the supporters listed are actually supporting you.

Simple enough, right?  Well, as reported in the North Denver News http://tiny.cc/66xve apparently a group of people in House District 4 weren't afforded the courtesy of a phone call before their names appeared on a campaign mailer for Amber Tafoya touting her endorsements in the Democratic primary.  We were just forwarded an angry email signed by four activists demanding an apology and retraction from Tafoya, and clearing the air that they-well, at least three of them-- are supporting Dan Pabon for the seat being vacated by term-limited Jerry Frangas.

The fourth signer is Vivian Stovall, a familiar name to many readers of this blog, who is none too pleased that someone is falsely assuming she's supporting anyone in the primary while she's a party officer.  Suffice it to say, you generally don't want to be on Vivian's bad side, as we're sure Tafoya is learning today.

One could debate if the potential fallout from such an elementary mistake actually does much damage (presuming more people read the mail piece than hear about the letter).  But it has to rock a campaign in a week, when ballots are actually in people's hands, that they have to publicly acknowledge people are actively supporting an opponent or risk further outrage over an error that was obviously their own fault.  Plus, it must be a little disheartening to know that the donor money invested in an expensive mailer just landed across the district with a resounding thud.

The letter is printed after the jump.

Dear Amber,

           We recently learned that you listed the four of us on a mail piece and with the Denver Post online candidate guide as persons endorsing your candidacy for House District 4.  We have NOT endorsed you.

           Vivian Stovall is an officer of the State Democratic Party and she takes her duties and responsibilities very seriously.  One of her duties is to refrain from endorsing candidates in a Democratic primary.  Your endorsement piece is a de-facto allegation that she broke State Party rules.  A simple phone call to Vivian would have confirmed that she is not endorsing you and that you should not use her name in association with your campaign.

Judy Martinez-Sarricchio, Rudy Gonzalez, and LeRoy Lemos each supported you prior to the caucus but as they told you directly, they have since endorsed Dan Pabon.  These three prominent figures in West and North Denver take their endorsements very seriously.  Again, a simple phone call or e-mail asking each person whether you could use these names would not only be the courteous thing to do, but is expected for a race of this caliber.  The undersigned are not a part of your inner-circle, however, we expect you to reach outside those closest to you to find out where we stand on this race.

           As our names have been used in a mailer, we respectfully ask that you send a clarification to those voters that received your mail-piece that we have not endorsed you.  We leave it to you to describe in your clarification whether this printing was an inadvertent error or intentional. [emphasis added]

           Regards,

           s/  Rudy Gonzalez, LeRoy Lemos, Judy Martinez-Sarricchio, and Vivian Stovall

cc:       Pat Waak, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party
           Vivian Stovall
           Rudy Gonzalez
           Judy Martinez-Sarricchio
           Jennifer Coken
           Dan Pabon