The News Tribune (Lite) - Being a political outsider should be a plus for Lonergan

TheNewsTribune.com
Section: Letters

Being a political outsider should be a plus for Lonergan

FRED OLDENBURG; Gig Harbor
Your endorsement for Pierce County executive left me scratching my head.

The News Tribune’s editorial board expressed reservations about job-related abilities for thee of the four candidates. But to explain why they didn’t endorse Mike Lonergan, the best they could come up with was that he wasn’t backed by a major political party.

Perhaps someone not backed by a political party is exactly what we need. We need someone who represents the people, not someone who owes the Republicans, Democrats, builders or the labor unions that financed their campaigns.

According to the editorial board, Lonergan’s qualifications including “broad service,” “strong intellect,” “genuine concern for the disadvantaged and the down-and-out” and ability to ask the “tough questions, thank you.” Yet these are tossed aside because he isn’t a political insider? He sounds like the man for the job, and the editorial board didn’t endorse the best.