On Tuesday, Feb. 17, I had the pleasure of moderating a debate featuring four of the candidates vying for the office of this city’s mayor: David Hernandez, Phil Jennerjahn, Craig Rubin, and Stevan Torres.
While many ideas and promises were tossed back and forth, I was disappointed to see that only one of the candidates had any “passion issues,” specific points they felt compelled enough to wager a campaign on. This sole exception was Rubin, who championed the cause of marijuana legalization.
It seems as though attending countless forums, fighting for media coverage, facing daily scrutiny and sacrificing working hours for a campaign that is, by all accounts, destined to be written off as little more than a trivial distraction from local politics-as-usual, is a bit questionable when there is no cause being championed.
Of course, the heavy favorite in the race is Los Angeles’ sitting mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. The Mayor is not debating, as all accounts have essentially called the race in his favor. While the candidates present at the debate will be on the ballot (save for Torres, who is running as a write-in), they do not enjoy the political capital that Villaraigosa monopolizes in this city.
Generally, candidates who face long odds are in a race to highlight a cause, build publicity for themselves or both. As far as I can tell, the only candidate with a signature cause at Tuesday’s debate was Craig “X” Rubin, Pastor of Temple 420 and ardent supporter of marijuana legalization.
While Jennerjahn championed conservative positions on all questions posed (with the exception of marijuana legalization) and Hernandez spoke at length about the ills of no-bid contracts and fiscal irresponsibility, neither made consistent references to an umbrella cause or concern. And while Torres spoke passionately about the need for political responsibility and a fair approach to the issue of illegal immigration, there was no clear message to be heard.
Where Rubin differed was in his more universal approach to the debate: it all came down to the weed.
Rubin has been a multiple-episode guest on the Showtime television series “Weeds,” where he leads a congregation of marijuana advocates who believe that cannabis should become a legal, taxed crop.
When my fellow moderator and Daily Bruin columnist Negar Tehrani asked the candidates what their plan would be to increase job opportunities for college graduates, Rubin began his answer by saying “I studied economics at UCLA and didn’t understand how to make money until I grew pot.”
What followed was a less controversial outline of an agricultural-based economy, but Rubin had accomplished what the other candidates had not: He established a theme and thus justified the purpose of his candidacy.
By drawing attention to his pet cause of marijuana advocacy, Rubin justified the role his campaign occupies in the race.
Though all of the candidates display the brazen zeal of a front-runner, the observer sees the self-awareness behind these airs.
There is a long tradition of politicians at all levels entering races they know they will not win.
These men and women generally fashion themselves after the likes of Ross Perot or Ralph Nader. Nader, the seemingly perennial independent candidate for president, championed the cause of consumer rights throughout his career. Though Nader was often derided for drawing away votes from the Democratic candidates he squared off against, most respectfully agree that he was a dedicated champion of a worthy cause.
And due at least in part to his perennial candidacy, Nader was able to highlight the need for motor vehicle safety laws, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Freedom of Information Act. In short, he was able to get things done while never being considered a front-runner for the elections in which he ran.
Without such a purpose, running for office becomes little more than an effort to achieve local fame or notoriety. And, frankly, there are better venues for such aims; there are Web sites that receive more hits than most of these candidates will votes.
Future candidates would be better served by either entering election races at a level in their careers that ensures they will at least have a legitimate chance, or by bringing an issue-driven campaign to the public’s attention.
Ready to fight the good fight and join Craig X for mayor? E-mail Makarechi at kmakarechi@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.