Why Political Endorsements Aren’t Always as Reliable as They Seem
Every election season brings a wave of political endorsements; some thoughtful, some rushed, and some that raise more questions than confidence. Endorsements can be useful signals, but they’re not all created equal. The credibility of an endorsement depends entirely on the process behind it: who was interviewed, how decisions were made, and whether the endorsing organization prioritized fairness over favoritism.
Disclaimer. I am not endorsing anyone this election cycle. That doesn’t mean I haven’t decided who to vote for, but you’ll not see any public endorsement. In fact, I haven’t gone to a kickoff, forum, meet and greet or campaign event. I do have biases, I try to recognize those, but I am trying to stay as unbiased as I reasonably can and provide residents with good information to consider when they vote.
Let’s break down why endorsements deserve a closer look, using a few local examples that highlight both strong and weak practices.
When Endorsements Are Done Right
Collin County Association of Realtors (CCAR)
CCAR is widely respected for one simple reason: they do the work. Their endorsement process includes:
- Interviewing all candidates who are willing to participate
- Asking consistent, policy‑focused questions
- Using a structured scoring or evaluation system
- Keeping the process transparent and professional
Their focus is from the prospective of protecting their clients; residents. Whether you agree with their final choices or not, you can trust that CCAR’s endorsements come from a fair, methodical process. They prioritize information over influence.
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News editorial board follows a similarly rigorous approach:
- They invite every candidate
- They conduct in‑depth interviews
- They publish their reasoning
- They separate news reporting from editorial opinion
Even if you disagree with their political leanings, their process is open, consistent, and grounded in evaluating all available candidates. That’s what makes an endorsement credible. (Oddly enough there are a lot of people who will denigrate DMN when their candidate doesn’t get the nod, or call them a “trash paper”, but when their candidate does get the nod, then it’s a great endorsement.)
When Endorsements Fall Short
Not all endorsements are created with the same level of care. Some are rushed. Some are biased. Some are made before voters even know who’s running.
Frisco Firefighters Association
A recent example shows how an endorsement can lose credibility before the ink is dry. The Frisco Firefighters Association issued endorsements before all candidates had even filed.
That means:
- They didn’t interview every candidate
- They didn’t evaluate the full field
- They made decisions without complete information
An endorsement made before the candidate list is finalized isn’t a vetting process. it’s a pre‑determined outcome. That doesn’t help voters make informed decisions. It also begs the question of the candidate they endorse; what promises did you make to a union?
This isn’t the first year the Fire Fighters Union has made an endorsement before filing closed. The first two times I ran they had an interview process, and they interviewed all the candidates. I’ve no idea why they would have changed that process, but I have my suspicions.
Lets also get this out of the way, because someone is going to bring it up..
- 2016: I was asked if I supported Civil Service and Collective Bargaining. I stated I had no opinion, I would need to research more.
- 2019: I was asked the same question and stated I would not support either, and I opposed them.
- 2022: I did not seek an endorsement.
Party Politics
Let’s start with the fact I do not believe either political party should be involved in City Council or ISD races. They are supposed to be nonpartisan for a reason. Let’s face it, that ship has sailed, so we’ll assume they are going to be involved.
I also never sought or even completed any questionnaire or endorsement from a political party.
An example involves the Collin County GOP’s endorsement process, where the selection committee included individuals who were actively working on the campaigns of the candidates they endorsed. That creates:
- A clear conflict of interest
- A lack of neutrality
- A process that appears predetermined rather than evaluative
Even if the endorsed candidates are strong, the process itself undermines trust. Endorsements should be earned through fair consideration—not granted by insiders with personal stakes.
Last year the Denton County GOP endorsed a candidatewho donated 10s of thousands of dollars to them during the actual election cycle. Was there pay to play?
Again, I know this happens at the state and federal level as well, on both sides of the isle. Books can be and have been written about this. Doesn’t make it right, and we should question it, especially at the local level.
How Voters Can Make Sense of Endorsements
Endorsements aren’t inherently good or bad; they’re only as credible as the process behind them. Here’s a simple way to evaluate any endorsement:
Ask three questions:
- Did the organization interview all candidates? If not, the endorsement is incomplete.
- Was the process transparent and consistent? If you can’t understand how they made their decision, that’s a red flag.
- Were there conflicts of interest? Endorsements should be based on merit, not personal alliances.
When an organization follows a fair, thorough, and unbiased process, their endorsement can genuinely help voters. When they don’t, the endorsement becomes more about politics than public service.
The Bottom Line
Political endorsements can be useful but only when they’re earned through a credible, transparent process. Organizations like CCAR and The Dallas Morning News demonstratehow endorsements should be done: by interviewing all candidates, evaluating them fairly, and explaining their decisions.
On the other hand, endorsements made before candidates are known or by committees with built‑in conflicts of interest don’t help voters; they mislead them.
In the end, the best endorsement is still your own informed judgment. Endorsements can be a data point, but they should never replace doing your own homework.
Sorry, one actual rant. Can we talk about local churches endorsing candidates? I know the IRS changed the rules last year and this is technically “legal”, but its not right. In more than one instance in the last 12 months I’ve seen the following:
- A Church hosting meet and greets for their chosen candidates.
- Allowing campaign signs of only their chosen candidate to be placed on property.
- Intentionally scheduling a “forum” on the same night every candidate had already committed to attending another different denominational forum so their chosen candidate could skip the original commitment.
I don’t know about y’all but this doesn’t seem to be an inclusive way for a church to operate. Its just not OK for me, and if any of you feel the same, I’d suggest reaching out to your chosen place of worship and letting them know you’d prefer they stay out of politics.
Rant over, for now.
