Re “Unsolicited Advice for a New Candidate”
Even though the interview was conducted in the casualness of the backyard of his Westside home, when City Councilman Scott Malsin was asked about School Board candidate Laura Chardiet, there was a grand, expansive tone to his endorsement.
“Laura’s life and work experience have prepared her perfectly for the role of School Board member,” he said while hosting a recent event for the PTA maven and LAUSD administrator. “Laura is a neighbor whom I have known for 15 years. She has put in so much time helping her schools and her (two) children.”
Mr. Malsin’s advice for finishing in the top two in the Nov. 8 election is:
“Walk. Knock on people’s doors. Tell them why you want the responsibility of serving in public office.”
Should Ms. Chardiet campaign in every neighborhood or concentrate on certain regions of Culver City?
“Having been president of the PTA Council, this gives her familiarity with people in every corner of the city, which is a natural advantage.
“You need to go and talk to any voter you can. Introduce yourself. Explain why you are running. She is intelligent and articulate, and she can be clear about why she is running.”
What did Mr. Malsin learn from his first winning campaign for office that he applied to his second run?
“The best part of running for re-election is realizing you already have proven you can do the job. To some extent, you are asking people to look back and evaluate whether you have done what you said you would do, whether you have tried to fulfill a vision we all can share together. It was very enjoyable running for re-election because there was less to try and convey. I didn’t have to explain why I felt I could do the job. I had done the job.
“The second campaign was very hard work, though. It’s just that it was different from the first time.”
Across the Malsin backyard, a beaming Ms. Chardiet was greeting backers and introducing herself to prospective supporters.
After the first two months of informal campaigning, she has “kind of a surreal feeling” about being a candidate.
“I am adjusting,” shifting her focus, Ms. Chardiet said. “I am so used to promoting the kids and the schools. Now I am talking about myself.
“It feels good, but I don’t want people to get tired of listening to me saying how great I am.”
Does that mean you will be periodically changing your message?
“Probably. I’m creative and innovative,” and she threw her head back and laughed heartily.
At what stage of the campaign are you?
“I think people don’t know who I am, what I do and what I am about. So I need to get that word out, to newspapers, to parents, going out to community events where I normally wouldn’t go and meeting people.”
Ms. Chardiet said she will be knocking on doors, trying to crisscross the entire community.
The already trim candidate has been running every morning, “getting in shape” for the endurance marathon that finishes 90 days from Monday.
Even before August dawned, Ms. Chardiet was campaigning daily.
“The most important thing I am learning is that when people are upset about an issue,” she said, “it comes from an honest place. I really feel an obligation to help people understand each other better. We live in a wonderful community, and we need to be working together to solve problems.”
Ms. Chardiet may be contacted at laura4culvercitykids.com
(To be continued)
