Maybe the Wicked Witch isn’t so wicked after all
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Dec. 17, 2024) — If you’ve read the 1995 novel, enjoyed the Broadway play or seen the fantastical new movie “Wicked” at the movie theater, then you know: There is a sensible reason the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba Thropp, abruptly leaves mainstream Oz and the Wizard for her independent pursuit of justice.
When Elphaba abandons the “powers that be,” they label her the “Wicked Witch” mainly because, unlike the others, she refuses to accept the status quo, which she believes is seriously off kilter.
I can identify.
In the political world, I’ve been called a witch by some, the “Queen of Mean” and the “Al Davis of Contra Costa County” by others … mainly for my hard work ethic in campaigns and my courageous take no prisoners approach to winning elections. (I might add, if I were a man, my label would be “good at his job.”)
Much like Elphaba, political consultants like me are often misunderstood. We rarely bow down to “the machine” and have our own vision for how effective government should work. Not everyone shares our vision, but it looks something like this:
Elected leaders should lead with courage. Even if they risk eventual defeat or they are vilified by mainstream politicos, our leaders should stand up and do the right thing. Concord Mayor Edi Birsan, who recently suffered defeat in his re-election bid, is a courageous leader. He had a vision for Concord, always listened to differing views and was not afraid to stand up on the issues important to him. (Thank you, Edi.)
Competency matters
Competency matters in our elected leaders. Just because a candidate is endorsed by the powers that be does not mean he or she is competent for the job. In fact, being a follower and going along with the “establishment” is often a hindrance to solving real problems. We have a lack of competency in local government today and have difficulty attracting good people to serve.
Standing up and taking responsibility matters. As a political strategist, I’m not afraid to bring to light documented truths, keeping my hits above the belt (maybe just slightly). But not all campaigners do that. This election season, the Contra Costa Building Trades did a mailer hitting county supervisor candidate Mike Barbanica that depicted people holding lit torches as if burning a person at the stake, calling him out as being associated with the KKK. Irresponsible, not true and definitely way over the line. They have yet to apologize.
Our system of government is broken. It’s why I work as hard as I do to elect smart, competent individuals to office. We have big problems that require serious thinkers. Unfortunately, many of our elected officials believe public service is handing out awards, smiling for the cameras and posting on social media. This needs to change.
So as my final good-bye to 2024, let me say this: I’m not going to stop working to elect competent, courageous candidates in the Bay Area. In fact, I plan to start identifying, convincing and training the kind of elected leaders we need to turn this place around.
Yup, I may be a witch. But, like Elphaba, I’m not so wicked. I just believe we can do so much better for the residents of this great region.
Read more “Power Play” columns by Mary Jo Rossi.
Mary Jo Rossi
Mary Jo Rossi is a local political strategist managing state/local campaigns for more than 40 years and the owner of Rossi Communications in Concord, CA.