COMMENTARY:
With early voting starting this week, I want to thank the men and women who are directly responsible for the continuation of our democracy, the candidates running for office in this year’s election. Especially those who are running for the first time.
The old phrase, “I’m going to throw my hat into the ring” makes it sound easy. As if the only thing to lose was a fedora. In fact, this is an incredibly challenging moment to enter the political fray.
Our lame duck president is flailing and our Congress can only seem to function when one party has a clear majority. Seats are so evenly divided in the House now that the only thing Speaker Mike Johnson is able to do is shut it down and send everyone home, which has become his favorite tactic.
It’s no surprise that Americans have a dim view of politicians. In a recent Pew poll, more than 80 percent said politicians, “don’t care what people like them think,” and only 4 percent think our political system, “is working extremely or very well.”
Unfortunately, opinions based on national leaders who dominate the 24-hour news cycle filter down to local politicians of the same party. But, it is unfair and untrue to assume that the men and women who will spend countless hours knocking on doors and speaking with constituents in the weeks between now and election day don’t care what you think. Most of them very much do, or they wouldn’t be out there.
Elections only work when voters have a choice. And, that is getting to be a problem, both in New Mexico and throughout the nation. Several decades of gerrymandering, combined with a greater degree of politically driven migration, have led to safe districts where incumbents only have to worry about defending their seats in the primary election.
More than 90 percent of voters now live in noncompetitive US House districts. Incredibly, only 18 of the 435 House races to be contested this year are now categorized as a toss-up, according to the Cook Political Report.
That situation will only get worse with the recent Supreme Court verdict neutering the Voting Rights Act. Unless, of course, we finally hit bottom and Congress reacts by outlawing gerrymandering and limiting the redistricting process to every 10 years, done by a bipartisan committee. Or AI. This could be one area where people will always look for an advantage and it is best to leave it to machines.
In New Mexico, both parties have given up on areas of the state where the other is in control. Of the 70 House races this year, only 32 will be contested on election day.
And so, I especially want to thank candidates from both parties who are running in races where the odds are stacked against them. You are performing a vital service for our democracy. Even if your run comes up short, you will have ensured that voters get a choice and that your party’s views get heard in the debate leading up to the election when people are paying attention.
While the winners will be popping champagne corks on election night, I’ll be saying a toast to those who gave it their best shot.
Walt Rubel can be reached at waltrubel@gmail.com
Walt Rubel's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of KRWG Public Media or NMSU.