Two weeks ago, the News-Press asked the community to weigh in on our process of endorsing political candidates. The question was: To endorse or not to endorse?
The feedback was voluminous and passionate. Thirty-eight people wrote to say we should stop endorsing candidates in various city, county, state and federal races and 35 said we should continue.
A common theme in most of the responses was an appreciation for our diligence in vetting the candidates through questionnaires, background checks and interviews. They wanted the information to help them decide on whom should get their vote.
We agree the most important part of what we do — and we do it better than most — is going in-depth with the candidates on the issues. Getting specific answers to and solutions for some of our most critical issues, like water quality and the environment, affordable and attainable housing, the mental health and opioid crisis, how to improve education and build new schools, mean the most to people. That same information also was vital for us in endorsing candidates.
Because readers and voters want candidates’ positions on the issues, the News-Press has decided to continue with interviewing and vetting those running for office, but we will not be making endorsements for any of the races.
We believe we can better serve the community by explaining the candidates’ positions.
Issues are most important but also candidates' solutions for solving specific problems. Their explanations will be accompanied by any history or context of the issue we believe is important in helping the voter make a more informed decision.
We won't tell you how to vote, but we will provide deep information and steer you to the candidates that match your preferences and sensibilities.
This election season, our network of news organizations across Florida, which includes the News-Press and the Naples Daily News, partnered with Florida AtlanticUniversity on a poll asking Floridians what issues are most important to them. Among the top issues, according to our poll, were the economy, school safety and the environment.
This poll, plus your guidance, will lead our focus on particular topics.
All candidates qualified for the offices that we will be part of our process will receive questionnaires asking for background information, the three issues they consider to be priorities and how they will achieve the necessary results. The candidates will be interviewed individually — and in some cases as a group — by the News-Press editorial board, focusing on the most significant issues related to their office.
We need your input. Please email Senior Engagement Editor Tom Hayden at thayden@news-press.com with a list of topics and issues that you would like to see candidates address.
The races we will focus on:
Lee County school board: The 11 candidates in the three single-member district races and the four for the at-large District 6 seat. Our intention is to interview the candidates in each of the four races as part of public forums so that voters can hear from all candidates at one event and be able to compare answers. They will be interviewed prior to the primary on Aug. 28 and the primary winners prior to the general election on Nov. 6.
Lee County Commissioner: There is only one race this year and the candidates, incumbent Cecil Pendergrass and his challenger, Democrat Bill Taylor, will be asked to meet with the editorial board about six weeks prior to the general election. Lee Commissioner Brian Hamman is unopposed and will automatically win another term.
State representative in Districts 76, 77, 78 and 79: All races feature candidates that would represent Lee County communities. Interviews will be prior to both elections.
State attorney’s race: The News-Press has not interviewed the candidates for State Attorney for the 20th Judicial Court in 16 years because current State Attorney Steve Russell has been unopposed. He is retiring this year. We believe how the candidates’ view the job and the judicial system is important information for voters.
Commissioner of Agriculture: This race is new to our line-up and was added because of the local connections of candidates Matt Caldwell and Denise Grimsley, both Republican state representatives with constituents in Lee and Charlotte counties. The intention will be for the board to interview all seven in the race and present their positions on issues critical to Florida’s agriculture community.
U.S. Representative in District 19: Interviews with the Democratic challengers prior to the primary on important federal issues that impact Southwest Florida and the state and with incumbent Francis Rooney ahead of the general election.
Media’s role continues to be as a communicator, connector and as a leader on important issues shaping communities. We take that role seriously, especially during election seasons when voters determine who gets their trust. Is it a new, emerging leader or a familiar one with a proven track record?
Tom Hayden, Senior Engagement Editor at The News-Press wrote this editorial on behalf of the editorial board.
CANDIDATES
Candidates who qualified for key local races in the primary:
LEE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
District 1: Mary Fischer (incumbent) vs. Charles Dailey. Winner takes seat.
District 4: Debbie Jordan, Don Armstrong, Gerri Ware, Louis Navarra. Top two advance to general.
District 5: Pam LaRiviere (incumbent), Gwynetta Gittens, Jon Larsen Shudlock, Moses Jackson II, Taruas Pugh. Top two advance to general.
District 6 (at-large): Betsy Vaughn, Karen Putnam Watson, Lori Fayhee, Nicholas Alexander. Top two advance to general.
STATE ATTORNEY
Chris Crowley vs. Amira Fox. Winner advance to general against write-in candidate.
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE
Republicans Matt Caldwell, Denise Grimsley, Mike McCalister and Baxter Griffin Troutman; Democrats Nicole Fried, Jeffrey Duane Porter and Roy David Walker. Republican and Democrat winners advance to general vs. NPA Rob Jones Jr.
19th CONGRESSIONAL SEAT
Democrats Todd James Truax vs. David Holden, with winner to face Republican incumbent Francis Rooney in general.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
District 76
Democrats Neilson Croll Ayers, David Benjamin Bogner and Marcissus Magturo face off in primary with winner to face Republican Ray Rodrigues (incumbent) in the general election.
District 79
Republicans Spencer Roach and Matt Miller square off in the primary with winner to face Democrat Mark Lipton.
FORT MYERS CITY COUNCIL
Ward 4
Kevin Anderson, Michael Doyle, Connie Bennett-Martin, Christopher Pierce, Leigh Scrabis. Any candidate who gets 50 percent, plus one, of the vote is the winner, or top two advance to general.
Current general election races
LEE COUNTY COMMISSIONER
District 3: Cecil Pendergrass (incumbent) vs. Bill Taylor
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
District 77
Republican Dane Eagle (incumbent) vs. Democrat Alanis Elizabeth Garcia.
District 78
Republican Heather Fitzenhagen (incumbent) vs. Democrat Parisima Taeb.
WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY ABOUT ENDORSEMENTS
Rick Urquhart, Lee County resident
I think this is a great practice. Since moving into the area, I have your interviews as a good source of information to help me vote for a candidate who best represents my interests. I have utilized, and value, your online interview postings. I might be old school, but I am still of the opinion that newspapers present a better balanced, less biased viewpoint than social media sites and political ads. I don't see anything wrong with making endorsements.
Arlene R. Foreman, Fort Myers
Over the years, I have found the endorsements helpful - but not determinative - after I have refined my thinking about candidates. What has been most useful, though, is your publication of candidates' responses (or not) to your questions, making side-by-side comparisons possible.
A far bigger concern is the issue of snowbirds. Local decisions (via their vote for candidates) are made by folks who may see SW FL as their legal residence but in truth, their vacation spot.
The increased - and encouraged - use of absentee ballots is going to exacerbate the problem. And if ballots were mailed automatically to all registered voters, would this problem not be even worse?
Steve Herzfeld
In regards to the question to endorse or not endorse, I vote no. While I relish the insight of the paper, I rarely vote your way as I simply disagree. However, in lesser known issues I do like to read up various positions such as ballot questions or unfamiliar issues. One of my favorite parts of the paper are the letters and editorials. Gives me different perspectives. Leave it at that.
Gloria Tate, Cape Coral
I know the quality of the people who serve on the editorial board, I know how much you all study and ask difficult questions, this is so important. I think people use this as a guideline when they vote. As a candidate who wasn’t endorsed years ago, it hurt me, but I understood and I’m grateful your editorial board takes the time to do this service. There are so many important issues coming up, social media can slant a candidate any way they want, so your board is the only “normal” forum some voters may ever read.
Please continue to endorse candidates.
John Karcher, Cape Coral
My opinion is no.
• Interview all candidates.
• Ask hard questions, like your career and current position
• Give each equal space in the press.
• Validate all data given by each person.
• If they claim a party status, inquire.
• Report the facts!
The Power of the press is far reaching. Opinions are just that opinions.
The press should report facts, no opinions on candidates.
Stay in the business of reporting!
Janice Taub
I am a subscriber of The News-Press for the past 6 years. I am a well read, highly educated resident. I believe that a newspaper, such as yours, should educate the public by naming candidates running for office. A bio should be included and their stance on important matters should be printed and included. It is not the newspaper's job to select candidate to endorse. That is up to each individual. When you endorse a candidate people who are too lazy to do their own research select the candidate that you endorse. This skews the election results. So I am asking that you no longer endorse candidates running for public office. Just educate the public.
Nanci I. Moore, Fort Myers
While I do not always agree with your newspaper's political endorsements, I really appreciate the thorough research you do and the information you provide, particularly about little-known candidates. Please do not stop providing us voters with this valuable information.
Kelly Lashley, Fort Myers
I think you need to stop for several reasons. The News-Press is typically out of touch with the political wind that blows in S.W. Florida. It seems most of us are a lot more conservative than your organization so your endorsements don't impact how the majority of us vote anyway. I know some people who say they vote the exact opposite of your endorsement because of your endorsement. Two, people need to get off their lazy butts and research the candidates and learn their positions for themselves. Everyone knows that doing something yourself means you learn more than having someone do it for you. If you insist on continuing to research the candidates then publish, in its entirety, no editing allowed, the answers to your questionnaires.
Steve Shimp
Years ago, I served on The News Press editorial board. The brief version of the story is that we endorsed Connie Mack III’s opponent Burt Saunders, an attorney from Naples, in Congressman Mack’s second election to return to Congress. Connie had, at best, done a poor job in Congress. His opponent had served as a Florida State senator and demonstrated his hard work and commitment to service.
Within a week, before the endorsements had been published, we were reconvened by The News-Press as, conveniently, some information had come up about the challenger’s service on a board of a travel company as being a negative.Nothing was ever proven about the validity of the allegations.
In the reconvened editorial board meeting, there was not agreement as to reversing our yet unpublished endorsement. Finally, Dan Warner commented that we needed to reverse our position because, if we did not, the News Press would forever “lose access” to our Congressman’s office.
As you consider to endorse or not, I would urge you to not endorse candidates.
Chris Patricca, Estero
Since long before I moved to Lee County, I have read The News-Press endorsements with great interest. As a voter, I strongly urge you to continue with this practice, unchanged. I do not view the News-Press endorsements as a suggestion on how to vote. Rather, it is one of several pieces of information that I gather in making voting decisions. It is sometimes a starting point for my voting research.
In my time on The News-Press Editorial Board, I witnessed first hand the depth of information gathered and the seriousness of deliberation by The News-Press staff and editorial board volunteers. It is not possible for every voter to meet candidates. Citizen members of the editorial board serve as proxies in bringing their concerns and ideas to endorsement deliberations on behalf of those citizens who cannot meet with candidates.