He’s a long shot, but he’s got faith on his side
October 17, 2024 | Winston-Salem Journal (NC) | SCOTT SEXTON Staff Reporter | Page 3
Steve Feldman knew what he was getting into—and what he was up against—when he decided to run for Congress.
And yet he did it anyway.
A dermatologist by training and an optimist by nature, Feldman of Winston-Salem had seen (and heard) enough from professional politicians to know that he wanted a different, more collegial way.
He also knew that the American political system is, in fact, heavily rigged in favor of the two major parties, that the primary system-and the gerrymandering which sustains it-tends to produce extremists, that Republican and Democratic nominees start off with deep fundraising advantages and third-party candidates generally get trounced.
"Have you ever seen the movie 'Dumb and Dumber' where Lloyd asks Mary out on a date?," Feldman said of his odds. "He says, 'The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances? Like one out of a hundred?' She says, 'I'd say it's more like one out of a million.'
"And he says, 'So you're telling me there's a chance.'"
Long odds
Ordinarily, I wouldn't pay much attention to third party or independent candidates.
Because, if we're honest, many are single-issue zealots, kooks or attention seekers. Generally speaking, they stand little chance at the ballot box. Some of that is due to the inherent advantages in a system with only enough room for two large parties.
Other than the irascible Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and one H. Ross Perot, who spent his way into contention as a third-party candidate for president in 1992, independents and third-party candidates tend to leave less than footprints once the counting is done.
But Steve Feldman is ... different.
A respected dermatologist, his patients like him. His neighbors, too. Drive through Sherwood Forest and look at the yard signs mushrooming there. He's smart, has common sense and is trying to run a real campaign, spending his own money to get on the radio, billboards and streaming TV services.
Plus, he's nice. And so is his message.
"All of the candidates in this race are caring people with good values and we all want to make the world a better place," he said. "We only differ on how to get there."
The Republican nominee, Pat Harrigan, is the prohibitive favorite in a district drawn to favor the GOP. Few outside hard-core Democrats have heard of their nominee, Ralph Scott.
And perhaps because of that, the 10th has attracted two third-party candidates: Feldman and Todd Helm of the Constitution Party.
Civility and responsibility, in particular fiscal responsibility, matter to Feldman. He believes that the national debt-on schedule to exceed in two years the annual GDP for the first time since 1946-and that being on a near constant war footing endangers our national security.
He looks at the war in the Middle East as another existential threat, and as a self-described proud Jewish man, advocates for peace and justice for Israel and Palestine.
"I think part of the lesson is based on something I learned in the Boy Scouts," he said. "I was no Eagle Scout but I did learn to leave things nicer than what you found them.
"And leaving a big national debt for our children isn't nice. I don't want to leave them with a bankrupt country."
Anyone who's ever made a serious attempt at sticking with a household budget can appreciate that.
A national debt with $100,000 for each of 333.4 million Americans is reckless policy and few major party candidates are willing to say so-especially when their party is in charge.
"I remember being with my accountant during the Bush presidency doing our taxes and being told I'd be getting a refund," Feldman said. "I thought, 'This can't be good.'
"I should be paying taxes. I just don't want to pay any more. But tax cuts are just transferring taxes to our children."
A tough sell
Selling that message won't be easy. Few voters want to face the hard challenges that loom whenever politicians decide to face reality.
And yet per the Federal Election Commission, Feldman has spent more than $130,000 of his own money to run.
"Anybody who gives to my campaign can be assured that it's not going to repay a loan I made to myself or to support other candidates in other races."
Harrigan, by comparison, has spent $1.1 million through the beginning of this month and has the support of special interest PACs that have spent another $613,000 to support him.
Neither the FEC nor OpenSecrets.org, a campaign-finance watchdog group, has any data on Ralph Scott, which means he's either violating campaign finance law, spending nothing or packed it in before the first ballot was cast.
With less than a month to go until Election Day—and early in person voting starting this week—Feldman knows the odds are against him. And yet he's persisting.
"I just believe that we need to be nicer to each other," he said. "If my ideas and my message gets out, then I will consider (the campaign) a success."
History, critics and yes, realists, might say Steve Feldman is tilting at windmills. And he just may be. Just don't tell him that.
So you're telling me there's a chance.
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ssexton@wsjournal.com
336-727-7481
@scottsextonwsj
