Every Candidate Deserves to Be Heard

I am confident that The Hamiltonian continues to live up to its motto: Hamilton's Tastemaker for Local Politics and Community. The evidence is increasingly difficult to ignore, and with that recognition comes responsibility.

One of the things that distinguishes The Hamiltonian from many other media outlets is our commitment to giving every candidate an opportunity to speak directly to Hamiltonians. We remain completely agnostic about the size of a campaign's budget. Whether a candidate has raised $200,000 or is running on determination, volunteer effort, and modest resources is of little consequence to us.

What matters is that someone has stepped forward, put their name on the ballot, and invested the time, energy, and personal commitment required to seek public office. That alone deserves respect and an opportunity to be heard.

It has been difficult, however, to ignore that some of the more prominent campaigns have, at this stage of the election, chosen not to respond to our interview requests. The questions we ask are fair, relevant, and focused on issues Hamiltonians deserve to hear about. Leadership is not demonstrated by avoiding reasonable questions or by remaining silent. Nor is it demonstrated by failing to extend the simple courtesy of a response. Fairly or unfairly, such silence inevitably causes voters to wonder how accessible that candidate might be if elected.

At the same time, I sincerely hope our colleagues in the mainstream media and across Hamilton's growing network of independent news organizations make a conscious effort to provide meaningful coverage to all candidates—not just those with the highest profiles or the largest campaign organizations.

Hamiltonians deserve more than a choice between the candidates the media decide to feature. They deserve the opportunity to hear from everyone seeking their vote. Democracy is strengthened when voters are presented with a full menu of ideas, perspectives, and leadership styles.

Every media organization has the editorial right to decide whom it covers. I respect that. But if our shared goal is to help citizens make informed choices, then broad, balanced, and inclusive election coverage is not simply good journalism—it is good for democracy.

That is the standard The Hamiltonian will continue to strive for.

Cal DiFalco,

Publisher, The Hamiltonian