Stanford Democrats ASSU Endorsements 2007

For the past several years, the board of the Stanford Democrats has endorsed a number of candidates for election to the ASSU Senate and Executive. This year, as last year, we have developed a rigorous process for interviewing and selecting candidates and have endorsed only six individuals who have stood out from the pack on the issues important to us as progressive Stanford students.

Twenty Senate candidates applied for our endorsement. Each candidate was asked to complete a detailed questionnaire about his or her leadership experience and positions on key issues. The board then read all of the questionnaires—over 100 pages of responses in total—and sent clarifying questions to some of the candidates. Candidates were then invited to our board meeting to be available to answer in person any last minute questions about their platform and qualifications. Over the course of our two hour meeting, the board discussed each candidate and voted on each endorsement individually. A two-thirds majority was required to endorse any candidate, so some candidates with the support of some board members were not ultimately endorsed.

The board looked first and foremost for candidates that demonstrated a thorough command of the issues and promised concrete, realistic solutions to the challenges faced by students and student organizations. Too often over the past several years, we've heard from candidates that focused their entire candidacy around platitudes and meaningless catchphrases. Literally dozens of candidates have promised to "improve communication between the ASSU and the students," for example, with no explanation of what exactly that means nor any real way to achieve that seemingly noble goal. We were most impressed by candidates with a tangible vision of what they can do as an ASSU Senator to help student groups, and a practical grasp of the routine and unglamorous—but vitally important—tasks of the Senate, such as budgeting. We also asked the candidates about their positions on issues such as the role of the Senate in public debates on campus over sustainability, fair labor policies, free speech, and the University endowment. Many of the candidates we did not endorse enthusiastically proclaimed their support for living wages, told us they would aggressively "demand" the University cut greenhouse emissions further, and so forth. We were not so easily impressed. We did not employ any sort of a "litmus test" looking for candidates to parrot the perceived Democratic Party line. Rather, we were pleased when candidates showed an appreciation for the importance and complexity of these challenges, and approached them progressively and pragmatically.

In only endorsing six candidates, we do not mean to disparage the other candidates in the race, some of whom will win and will ultimately make fine senators. Many impressed us in certain respects, and the vast majority seemed genuinely committed to serving the Stanford community. But the board is overwhelmingly convinced that Stuart Baimel, Anthony Bestafka-Cruz, Patrick Cordova, Sarah Golabek-Goldman, Raffi Madirosian, and Eugene Nho will make superb Senators. They each show earnest dedication to grappling with the issues facing the student body, and they presented innovative measures to help student groups that went beyond meaningless rhetoric.

It is easy to forget what is at stake in student body elections, amidst the flood of campaign posters and promises that seem eerily similar from year to year. But the Senate is (or at least can be) an important institution for helping students to truly make the most out of their Stanford experience. Eugene, Raffi, Sarah, Patrick, Anthony, and Stuart will do an outstanding job fulfilling this vital role.

Questions about the Stanford Democrats' endorsement process or decisions can be directed to Bobby Lepore at blepore@stanford.edu.