I already said I respect anybody brave enough to run for public office. It's a brutal, full-time war to maintain your dignity, privacy, and standards.
That said, I must also say that no candidate automatically gets my vote. I look for something beyond issues or platform. I look for more than honesty and integrity. I want to know why the candidate ran for office before I lend my vote.
Power mongers love political office. They dream of dictatorships, nodding to allow the peasants off our knees. They power-trip at the expense of employees, interns, and taxpayers. We all know the type. Obviously, people who vote for these guys do NOT look for the same qualities I do!
Ego trippers run for office to make themselves look good. They're easy to spot. Their first words run something like, "See how great I am. Look what I did for you." And, "You should be thankful for what I did." They even sneer! The problem is that, sometimes, you don't see their nose hair until after they win election. This guy doesn't do much for me, either.
There are a few candidates that really enjoy politics. They are savvy enough to know what we need and want, smart enough to help us get it, and enjoy the entire process beginning to end. They have more energy, bounce, and enthusiasm than the rest of us. They are easy to like, and make excellent leaders or spectacular flakes.
I like the honest, caring, hopefuls: the nurses and teachers in other professions. They ask about the problem, what can be done, and why they should help. They will tell you what they will or will not do, and their reasons almost always reflect the impact on others. I will sometimes vote for this candidate.
My last contestant category, and a rare one, are those with mission and purpose. I don't lump vendetta and single-issue people in this group. They are shallow, and lose direction once elected.
The true applicants in my vision group are self-less in their quest. They go to great lengths with passion--a mandatory urge in some direction. They've spent years working to accomplish their need. They've networked with others, worked with governmental rules, and know how to achieve their objectives. They understand how their issues impact others, and how to harmonize. They've grown professionally and politically working toward their goal. They encourage others to seek their dreams.
They seek political office when the title is necessary to accomplish their goals. They've done everything else, and it was not enough. Only then do they seek the tool of authority our votes give them.
Platforms, and the candidate's soul, are tied to who this candidate has been over his or her life. I will vote for this last, rare, visionary above anybody else.
Which category does your candidate fall into?