After the latest Cape Charles Candidate forum, Mayor Smitty Dize felt like he needed to jump into the fray by lashing out at Mayoral candidate Tim McLatchy. In a bizarre Facebook post, Dize took issue with Mr. McLatchy stating that he, unlike some other candidates, has not taken campaign contributions from anyone.
Tim McLatchy’s comments are legit, and it is the same reason the Mirror does not run local ads, even as we have been approached to do so. Once some of these dubious entities give you money, they feel like you owe them something, and these folks will try and hold it over you. I’m old enough to remember when the fine citizens of Cape Charles, mostly business owners who felt they could not control the narrative and get their way, attacked the Cape Charles Wave. It was disgusting.
Campaign contributions are part of the game, but in a small town, it does create questions. For the candidates that took money; from whom? How much? Is there quid pro quo? Were there any expectations attached? People like to pretend Cape Charles and Eastern Shore politics doesn’t have a dark underbelly, but we many of us know that it does. The protests leveled by Dize seemed too much and as many questions as answers.
The idea that you need to take money to run for office in Cape Charles is ludicrous. It’s basically a popularity contest anyway, so a few bucks for some signs is really all you need, if that. The rest is shoe leather. Like 97% of most things in life, the most important thing is just showing up.
By casting shade on Tim McLatchy, is Dize surreptitiously telling everyone else who he supports, without actually saying it?
Below is the Mayor’s statement. Dize was ratioed on Social Media, with a few apologists from the business and realtor class:
Hi Citizens of Cape Charles! I know it’s been a while and I apologize!
I said I was going to stay out of the politics of the up and coming election but after watching last night’s candidates forum I feel I need to say something. During last nights forum, one of the Mayoral Candidates opened with, talked about during questioning and closed with, that the other candidate had received campaign contributions. Let me be clear, this is perfectly legal. I can tell you I did not but if it wasn’t for Beth my situation may have been different.
There is no call for any candidate to go on the attack of another candidate in small town elections or as far as I’m concerned any other elections. Run on your own merits and tell the citizens of what you are going to try and do to make the town better.
I’m not going to call the candidates out by name but you can watch for yourself on the town Facebook page Municipal corporation of Cape Charles.
Finally Remember to Vote on November 8 or you can vote early in Eastville as I Did.
This post is not is not intended as an endorsement of any candidate but more of a concern of the politics I don’t want to see for our future.
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