Letting others do the talking

We are convinced one week before the primary in Howell that the two candidates running under the Regular Republican banner – James Stanberry and Cynthia Schomaker – are candidates in name only. We believe that if they were eventually elected in November, they would be nothing more than front people for the Howell United Republican Club.

Stanberry and Schomaker have made the point over and over again that they are new to politics, that they have no baggage. Judging from what we have observed, that is nothing to recommend them to office.

Their press releases appear to be an effort of the Republican club backing them, rather than the views of the candidates who seek to sit on the governing body.

Phone calls to the News Transcript have been made on the candidates’ behalf by "backers," rather than by the candidates; and when interviewed for a story, Stanberry and Schomaker offered no real ideas as to what they would bring to office.

Challenged by the two other Republicans running in the primary – John Budzash and Maria Portilla – to a debate, Stanberry’s and Schomaker’s backers complained about the logistics of the debate, rather than agreeing to allow their candidates to state their views — if they have any — to the public.

In our view, it does not appear that Stanberry and Schomaker have anything to say for themselves, and we think Howell’s voters should know that before pulling the lever on June 6.