The D&C had a good article about Chili Supervisor David Dunning’s party switch - the one where after being elected on the Democratic line as Chili Town Supervisor- he announced he will switch parties - effective November 5th. First my commentary - then snips of the article.
I’ve been mulling over this switch since it happened and while I’ll be the first to admit I’m looking at it from afar; having never met Dunning and not living Chili, I find myself looking to put this into context.
So here is the deal - After a week of reflection - I’m pleased Dunning switched parties. Yep. Pleased. Why? I want him out of the party infrastructure sooner rather than later as Chili attempts/continues to build party infrastructure.
From a party perspective, building sustainable infrastructure and ultimately winning elections is what it is all about. So I’m glad Dunning is gone because, had he stayed, I believe he would be a thorn, a pest, something that would undermine or obstruct progress in both the Chili Democratic party, and ultimately Monroe County.
If you are a Democrat this is about “more Democrats”. If you are a Progressive, it is about “More and Better Democrats”.
Now about Dunning the person - I stand with Tom Tobin’s remarks.
That’s either dumb or conniving and neither is a good trait for Dunning to display.
I think Dunning is an opportunist. A political opportunist - heck one who is oddly upfront about it but an opportunist nevertheless. Do you know that expression “there is no ‘I’ in Team”? Well, there is one in Dunning. Unfortunately, this has to be all about Dunning and not about the residents of Chili. Dunning’s initial comments were about how he could not run against fellow board members. He wanted…well here is the quote.
“I don’t see this decision as a compromise in my values, rather support for my belief in the need for a unified leadership team.â€
I see Dunning the person - as not having the character to challenge status quo. He wants to be liked. Well, David - look somewhere else. Actually you only have to look at Irondequoit and Mary Ellen Heyman, or go to the wayback machine and see that Brighton was a Republican stronghold 20 odd years ago. Heck there was even change in ER last cycle.
But on to the article. Per Dunning, this is something he was thinking about all along.
The party change becomes official Nov. 5, and then he will join the Chili Republican Committee. Dunning said he was unaffiliated for 16 years until he moved to the Democratic Party in 2006.
“While I was running, I didn’t rule out the idea of switching parties but I didn’t embrace it, either,” said Dunning, who announced his decision before his first 100 days in office were over.
Back room conversations anyone? If you read Dunning’s quotes in the article - the guy just doesn’t make sense.
“I describe myself as right-, left-wing conservative liberal, basically a political mutt, so I’m not doing this to climb any political ladder,” he said. “I want to position myself to be Chili supervisor for a long time.”
Sorry David - that dog won’t hunt. What EXACTLY are the values you bring to the table? What do you believe in? How do you stay anchored to those values if you are all over the place?
Then he hides his desires from those who helped him
“He met with us and other Democrats a few weeks ago. I spent three hours with him … and talked to him at the Town Board meeting the day before he made the announcement. David never mentioned a word about it,” said Seward. “There is a way to do things in this world, and this is totally uncharacteristic of the individual I thought I knew.”
David Dunning - good luck to you as your unified team make unanimous decisions that affect all of Chili. I would say that you have silenced an opposition voice but that would be giving you too much credit. You used the Chili Democratic party to become Supervisor where you cast aside the opportunity to speak for the 5,400 folks who have decided to register in the Democratic party and represent their voice. You’ve done that so you can go along with fellow board members - because in the end it seems that it is all about you.