Thumbs down: No place for kingmakers

Politics, as the author Finley Peter Dunne wrote, ain't beanbag. It can a tough business, especially at election time. But it crosses a line for an elected official to punish someone for seeking office, especially a local office, even more so when it doesn't involve a direct challenge to the incumbent. But that's what happened in Santa Rosa, with Councilwoman Julie Combs removing City Council candidate Mary Watts from the Board of Public Utilities.

Combs named Watts to the board in 2015, and she removed her when Watts filed to run in the 4th City Council District over Combs' objection. Combs wasn't on the Nov. 6 ballot, and she has announced that she won't seek re-election 2020. But she was supporting another candidate in the 4th District and, in social media posts, accused Watts of being a spoiler role in the race. Although the votes are still being counted, it appears that Combs' favored candidate will win. But democracy loses anytime self-appointed kingmakers try to block access to the ballot. Thumbs down.

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