Leave the Family Out of It

One of the unwritten rules of politics used to be simple: The person on the ballot is fair game, but their spouse and children are not.

At some point, we lost that understanding.

Today, it's increasingly common for reporters to dig into the backgrounds of candidates' spouses, contact current and former coworkers, search for old social media posts, and quote anonymous sources about people who never asked to be part of a political campaign.

I miss the days when there was a little more restraint.

I've spent much of my career in politics and public affairs. I've received death threats. I've been attacked online by strangers. I've had people make assumptions about my character simply because I was the spokesperson for a campaign or an industry.

Here's what many people don't realize: when a communications director or spokesperson speaks to the media, they aren't expressing personal opinions. They're speaking on behalf of a client, an organization, or a candidate. That's the job.

The same principle should apply to families.

If a spouse chooses to campaign, give speeches, raise money, or serve as a public advocate, they have entered public life.

But if they choose to continue teaching, working in healthcare, running a business, or simply raising their family outside the political spotlight, why should they suddenly become the subject of an article or investigation?

The same goes for children.

They didn't file the paperwork to run for office.

They didn't ask for classmates to tease them, for strangers to criticize them online, or for their family life to be dissected because one of their parents chose to serve their community.

Politics is a difficult profession.

We often ask why more good people don't run for office. Maybe we should also ask what message we're sending to their families.

If seeking public office means your spouse's coworkers will receive phone calls, your children's lives may become public fodder, and your family will be judged for decisions they never made, many talented people will decide it's not worth it.

Democracy benefits when good people are willing to serve.

That doesn't mean candidates should be spared tough questions. Quite the opposite. Hold them accountable, challenge their ideas, scrutinize their record, and debate their vision.

But keep the focus where it belongs—on the person seeking your vote. The name on the ballot should be the one under the microscope. Everyone else deserves the chance to simply live their lives.

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Hector Barajas is a public affairs and strategic communications professional and the founder of Amplify360, Inc. His work places him at the forefront of high-level policy discussions involving lawmakers, political candidates, regulators, and industry leaders. These articles aim to illuminate information, context, and implications that are often discussed privately and frequently left out of the public debate.

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LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hectormbarajas

www.Amplify360inc.com