Potter shellacking difficult to figure
The voters have spoken and incumbent District Attorney Dale Potter has been given a lesson on finding the door.
As we begin to dissect exactly what happened on election day, what surprises me the most is the margin by which Potter lost ? especially considering his opponent. And I say that with no disrespect to incoming District Attorney Lisa Zavogiannis.
If you told me in January that Zavogiannis would be our next district attorney come Aug. 3, I would have asked about the freshness of the milk in your Corn Flakes. I think most folks would have shared that reaction. Back in January, Zavogiannis was known more for her restaurant, Gondola, than for her legal prowess.
If anything, Zavogiannis is proof the American dream is still alive and well. She won the election through hard work and sheer determination, a welcome sight in today?s society where laziness has so often replaced ambition.
Zavogiannis was relentless on the campaign trail and people noticed. From the popular breakfast spots to the weekend gatherings, she started early and campaigned late. She canvassed Warren and Van Buren counties, looked people in the eye, and asked for their vote. We can all see the results.
Still, it surprises me how Potter was tarred and feathered at the polls. Remember, incumbents normally hold a monstrous advantage, which is why people crave elected offices such as county clerk, trustee, register of deeds, and property assessor. People who are elected once are usually elected for life.
However, those county offices are low-profile positions. Rarely do people call the register of deeds in a fit of rage because a piece of property wasn?t recorded correctly.
The job of district attorney is a different animal. There are life-altering decisions to be made every day of the week and people have a funny tendency to change their opinions about justice when the case hits close to home.
Most people think criminals arrested for breaking and entering or possession of drugs should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. That philosophy changes, however, when the criminal is their son. That?s when the DA should consider a special exception to the law, or so folks tend to think.
Child support is another nasty issue and the district attorney is directly over the child support division. It?s a big leap to go from prosecuting murder trials to dealing with angry parents because a payment is a few days late.
The thing to remember about child support is one person usually leaves angry. If the mother gets everything she wants, chances are the father is mad. If the father is happy, you can bet the mother is ready to explode.
All of this works against the district attorney, who is blamed for many of the county?s woes, much like the county executive. Couple that with the fact Potter can often be gruff and surly and it?s easy to see how he now has a few weeks to clean out his desk.
Personally, I don?t think Potter did anything to get voted out of office. Despite his public relations struggles, he?s a strong prosecutor and his courtroom record supports that claim.
However, whenever there?s change, there?s also a certain level of excitement. After seeing the non-stop energy exerted by Zavogiannis on the campaign trail, I?m eager to see how she transfers that energy to the district attorney?s office.
If she prosecutes criminals the way she campaigns, I believe we will all be well satisfied with the results.
James Clark is editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].