Lazarus 1, O’Grady 50,000+

Ok so maybe John O’Grady doesn’t have fifty thousand endorsements- but it sure seems like that given the number of damn emails I’ve received from him lately.

Not just emails- also facebook friend invites, phone calls and crap I received in the mail…

• O’Grady endorsed by ODP Chairman Chris Redfern: Jan 16
• O’Grady, Goodwin trade endorsements: Jan 24
• Former U.S., Ohio Treasurer Mary Ellen Withrow endorsed O’Grady: Jan 28
• Treasurer Cordray endorses John O’Grady: Jan 29
• Former ODP Chairs back O’Grady: Jan 30

etc., etc.

I get it. EVERYONE is endorsing John O’Grady for Franklin County Commissioner.

All of the big names in Ohio Democratic politics – most of them non-Franklin County residents – are getting behind John as THE Democratic candidate for county commissioner. And I had to get an email every time each one did.

Honestly, the barrage of endorsements has started to turn me away from O’Grady- and toward Lazarus.

But the thing that really solidified my support for the underdog candidate in this primary race was a post I saw over at BSB today titled “The Lazarus-Dispatch Endorsement Swindle” in which Jerid accuses the Columbus Dispatch of violating “nearly every tenet of journalistic integrity by granting their endorsement to Cindy Lazarus without even offering a screening interview to John O’Grady.”

I like Jerid- I really do- and I agree with his opinion on a lot of things. But I read that endorsement in the Dispatch- and I think the editors clearly defined the reasons for their decision: O’Grady’s “resume and performance do not stack up to Lazarus.”

There were no quotes from the Lazarus camp OR O’Grady’s people- they didn’t need to do any interviews. The decision was made only on the quality of the candidates’ resumes and NOT on the quantity of their previous endorsements.

In short: Lazarus has twenty years of leadership experience in Franklin County- serving as a councilwoman (and council president) and then as a judge – while O’Grady spent only seven years as the clerk of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

And that alone seems like an acceptable reason to endorse a candidate.

I have nothing against O’Grady- I’m sure he’s a great guy and would/will make a great commissioner.

But, honestly, I’m sick of hearing from/about him. And I hate people telling me what to do.

Had I received one or two emails that explained his qualifications and the issues important to Mr. O’Grady- I certainly would have considered voting for the guy- or, at the very least, not voting against him.

But now I am now officially voting for Cindy Lazarus and it’s for the same reason I am voting for Barack Obama: the presumptive candidate pisses me off.

The best part is: my vote will actually count since I live in Franklin County- unlike Redfern and Jerid and the rest of the pro-O’Grady folks.