So … what, you are wondering, is the worst thing that can happen to you while running for public office, you may be asking yourself right now?
Losing?
Nah. You can put up a good fight in a losing cause and still come away with positive vibes.
Run out of money?
Nope.
It sucks but it still doesn’t cost anything for your supporters to go to the polls and vote for you.
No, the worst thing that can happen to you is to roll into a town for a scheduled rally, to get to the hall and find …..
…. ABSOLUTELY NOBODY.
Just an acre of empty chairs.
Not a single solitary supporter. Not even your mother.
As Kris Kobach, a Republican candidate for governor, made a tour of several cities on Thursday, he came from a group of about 30 supporters in Leavenworth, to none in Wyandotte County. Kobach and incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer are the frontrunners in the GOP campaign for governor, with the primary election on Aug. 7.
If you’ve ever been involved in doing advance work for a political campaign, you have surely heard that if you are expecting 1,000 people at an event to rent a hall that holds 800 so it looks like your rally is standing room only. Never rent a hall you can’t fill cause those same 1,000 people in a hall that seats 2,000 look dismal.
But what do you do, other than slink away in shame, when nobody shows up?
Rent a broom closet next time?
Fire your advance people?
Actually, attendance wasn’t quite zero.
Two women had driven over from Johnson County to hear Kobach speak in Wyandotte County, but they left before he got there, as his tour was delayed, and they said they had to go to an appointment.
Ouch.
Your 15 minutes were up long ago, Kobach.