Corvallis voters navigating candidate questionnaires, endorsements, and promises of fiscal responsibility might appreciate a recent development in local Canadian politics.
Or not.
Brady Rogers is a man who tossed aside those customary declarations of visionary leadership and announced, “I barely want to do this.”
(Graphic: @iambradythecreator / Via instagram.com)
Brady is a 33-year-old engineer and business owner. He won a seat on the Kelowna City Council in British Columbia last week. Official results show he received 12,637 votes, which gave him a fourth-place finish among the eight elected councilors. His honest admitted reluctance ended up proving to be highly electable.
Some of his campaign signs included “Just trying to pay my rent,” “Fine. I’ll do it,” and “How hard could it be?” He obviously has not yet reviewed a municipal agenda packet, but that Dadlife shirt does show some promise… but maybe not his spelling.
Rogers embraced the absurdity so thoroughly that he even produced an attack ad against himself. Some might say that’s an admirable administrative efficiency. He allowed his campaign to handle both promotion and opposition research all in one sitting.
If you read between the lines, no pun intended (or not), there might be something refreshing here about a candidate acknowledging uncertainty before being asked to resolve housing affordability, budget deficits, homelessness, or enact a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.
Or not.
As we all know by now, municipal government usually requires considerable deliberation. It also requires the fortitude to attend a meeting where someone says, “I’ll be brief,” and then pulls a binder out of their briefcase.
Jokes aside, behind the theatrical uncertainty was an impressive resume.
Rogers worked as a robotic automation engineer and co-founded The Rogerie with his wife, which transforms plastic waste into new products. His campaign website addresses affordability, transportation, homelessness, and the difficulties facing small businesses. All of which might sound familiar.
His explanation for running… “he cares about his city, believes he can contribute, and thinks understanding a problem should precede prescribing a solution.”
He says his engineering background taught him to begin with good questions. This complicates the conventional campaign timetable, the one that usually requires comprehensive answers, weeks before anyone has established what the question actually means.
Rogers used self-deprecation and humor to attract attention while offering voters a serious account of his priorities and background. The humor made him conspicuous, but his willingness to explain himself gave the people of Kelowna City something to consider.
Would this approach succeed in Corvallis? It’s untested. A sign reading “I only want to do this for two years… not four” might find an appreciative base of support.
Or not.
Hopefully Brady can pay his rent now.
This article was written by Derek S., a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com
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