The Alligator asks for Progress

The Florida Alligator endorses the Progress Party in the SG elections being held tomorrow and Wednesday. This is not unexpected, as they have usually backed the more ideologically liberal of the parties running, even if they have little chance of winning (a split Vision/Keg endorsement in 2000 is a good example).

This usually helps the independent movement, as the independents have traditionally embraced liberal positions on everything except SG spending.

And between Progress and O&B, it’s no contest that the Progress slate is far more liberal both in SG and in ideology.

But what I am struck by in this endorsement is how completely optimistic (dare I say “naive”) they come across in embracing the best of the Progress rhetoric without really explaining why that trio is any more believable than the others. The endorsement doesn’t even mention the other parties running. It almost reads like the opinion page editor had a crush on Ben Dictor. I’d rather have a clear-eyed and objective opinion than a love letter. Hell, Christian Duque’s endorsement of Progress was better in that respect than the Alligator’s.

The interesting thing here is that SG politicos have coveted the Alligator endorsement despite a poor track record of it mattering. The main reason is that a solid endorsement could act as free advertising, particularly if the party needs it.

So we’ll see if it comes of anything this week, but I doubt it.