Baffling endorsements

County Democrats should simply trust voters

The Allegheny County Democratic Committee finds itself facing a hail of criticism over its endorsement of some state legislative candidates, one of whom praised President Donald Trump, bashed the Affordable Care Act and posted a number of other objectionable comments on her Facebook page.

The committee has no one to blame but itself for clinging to an archaic endorsement process that many of its own members don’t support and regard as a perpetuation of party-insider politics.

There’s a simple solution: Stop endorsing candidates for the primary elections. The process only serves to divide the party and discourage younger potential candidates from considering a run for office.

The recent endorsement meeting left more than a few party officials baffled by the outcome. The most glaring example was in the race for the 36th Legislative District, where Heather Kass, a ward committeewoman, was overwhelmingly endorsed over Jess Benham, a progressive activist.

Ms. Kass has a social media history that includes several posts that, to say the least, fly in the face of many Democratic Party positions. In addition to a “Go Trump!” posting, she took issue with how a “junkie” could get free Narcan, but children with allergies can’t, and wrote that she hated the Affordable Care Act and how “these lazy no good idiots” are “sucking the system dry.”

Despite those rantings, Ms. Kass got the endorsement, touching off a wave of condemnations from committee members, including labor leaders and state and local elected officials.

Ms. Kass has since apologized for her past remarks, saying that she’s “grown and learned since then.” It will be up to the Democratic voters in the 36th District to determine whether they believe her contrition.

And that’s the way it should be. The county committee’s endorsement supposedly sends a message that this is the candidate supported by the party. But an endorsement is no guarantee of a primary victory because the decision ultimately rests with the voters.

The Democratic committee is doing itself no favors by continuing to endorse candidates. Instead, it should step aside and trust the voters to decide who is the best candidate.