Rick Tesario forges on with long-shot write-in campaign

Losing Conservative gubernatorial candidate will continue campaign as write-in

WEST LAKE, Damoign -- Days after the Damoign Supreme Court ruled it was too late for him to change his party affiliation, Conservative-turned-Independent businessman Rick Tesario of West Lake announced he will continue his campaign for governor as a write-in candidate.

Tesario previously filed to run for governor as a Conservative, but then filed to run as an Independent a day before the October 25 primary election.

The Damoign Secretary of State’s office said Tesario was too late to change his affiliation. Ballots listing him as a Conservative had already been printed.

Tesario sued, saying the deadline for election filings should be extended because of computer problems within the Secretary of State’s office, which handles elections.

Tesario’s lawyers argued the wealthy billionaire inventor and businessman should be allowed to change his party affiliation at the last second, and instead run as an Independent.

Filed the day before the primary election, his lawsuit could not be resolved before voters went to the polls. It finally concluded last week with the Damoign Supreme Court ruling Tesario was too late in changing his party affiliation.

“Mr. Tesario has the right, just like every other candidate for statewide office in the state of Damoign, to change or withdraw his party affiliation. But like every other candidate in Damoign, he should have made that decision earlier. The day before the primary election is well past time for any candidate to change their affiliation,” said Chief Justice Richard Gregorio-Ovalla in a written explanation for the majority opinion.

With his candidacy and party affiliation thrown into doubt a day before voters took to the polls, Mr. Tesario ended the primary election in last place, taking not quite 13% of the vote.

Former Lt. Gov. and megachurch pastor Mercer Diego clinched the nomination with 28%, followed by former National Security Secretary Robert Austin with 23%, Assemblywoman Patricia “Pat” Leemore with just under 23%, and Assemblyman John DeGallio with 13%.

With a last-place finish and the state supreme court’s ruling against him, it’s effectively the end of the road for the Tesario campaign, or at least a dead end on the path to victory.

No candidate has ever won a write-in campaign for a statewide race in Damoign in modern history. With over a population of 24.5 million people, it’s highly unlikely a write-in candidate, particularly one that’s not very well-known such as Mr. Tesario, could pull off a victory.

But Tesario has vowed to forge on with his long-shot write-in bid anyway.

“The two-party system is an utter failure. I refuse to surrender this election to the two corrupt political parties,” said a defiant Tesario at a campaign rally in Evanter, 125 miles south of Grassadellia City.

So why did Rick Tesario want to change his affiliation at the last second? Sources within the Tesario campaign say Mr. Tesario feared he would lose in the five-person Conservative primary, but figured he could advance to the general election by filing as an Independent.

If he ran as an Independent and obtained a sufficient amount of votes in the primary election, Tesario could have been guaranteed a spot on the general election ballot. Although even as an official Independent candidate on the ballot, it’s difficult to win an election when not affiliated with one of the major political parties.

At a campaign rally in the city of Oscarville in southwest Damoign, Saturday, Mr. Tesario ripped the Conservative party leadership.

“This election, the way they treated me when I threatened to run as an Independent candidate, it shows just how corrupt the Conservative Party is and what incredible lengths they will go to to make sure their preferred candidate wins and the underdog guy, the rebel candidate, the one that won’t do exactly what they want but will stand up for himself and buck his party when necessary, they make sure that candidate loses,” said Tesario.

Party leaders say there was no corruption or favoritism involved in the primary campaign, although they concede Tesario was not the first choice of party leaders.

“Mr. Tesario was treated fairly and equally as the other four Conservative candidates in the race,” said Saul Hannah, deputy president of the state CNS party affiliate.

“His eccentric personality and his very flimsy adherence to conservative positions and policies are far more responsible for his demise than party leaders orchestrating and working against him,” said Mr. Hannah.

Indeed, the inventor and businessman is known for his eccentric personality. He notably lacks the warmth and folksy demeanor Conservative nominee Mercer Diego displays on the campaign trail. And he doesn’t speak with passion like NAT candidate Jenna Duvan.

Tesario was born into an affluent family, but expanded his fortune through inventions and patents. He is more comfortable talking stocks and government debt than he is discussing politics. His campaign has focused almost exclusively on the economy and managing the state’s money.

Despite his eccentricities, Tesario’s main argument is simple: he is not a politician, and he understands the economy better than the typical politicians running for the major parties.

He promised to rein in unemployment, to pay off outstanding debts the state owes, and jump-start job creation, which has slowed noticeably during the tenure of current Gov. Rod Penora (N).

The Diego campaign filed a brief with the Damoign Supreme Court, asking the court to rule against Tesario.

If Tesario were still in the race, he would likely take more votes away from Mr. Diego than Attorney General Jenna Duvan, as most Tesario supporters are Conservatives or independents that lean Conservative.

Even as an unofficial write-in candidate, though virtually guaranteed to lose, Tesario could still siphon votes away from Mercer Diego, which could help deliver a victory for the strongly liberal Duvan, who is beloved by liberals but reviled by Conservatives.

In a campaign stop at a Tolston delicatessen Saturday afternoon, Mr. Diego said Rick Tesario is entitled to continue his campaign as a write-in candidate, but doing so would assure a victory for Jenna Duvan.

“It’s his right, and he is entitled to run as a write-in candidate. But it’s a losing prospect, and it will only help Jenna Duvan. Every vote that’s not for me is a vote for Jenna,” Diego told the media who were following him on the campaign trail.

Not surprisingly, Ms. Duvan, who is the frontrunner in the race, didn’t have a problem with Mr. Tesario staying in the race.

“We live in a democratic society, and if someone doesn’t win their party’s nomination, I think they have the democratic right to run as a write-in candidate and garner as many votes as they can,” said Duvan. “If Rick Tesario runs as a write-in candidate against the wishes of the Conservative Party, they have no one to blame but themselves. Their party tried to silence him, alienate him and his supporters, marginalize them because he’s a ‘moderate’ and might go rogue against the party. They have done this to themselves,” Duvan said.

Mr. Tesario knows he has little chance of winning, but said he will stay in the race in spite of his losing venture.

“It’s the principle of it. I was treated unfairly, and more importantly, all my supporters were treated unfairly by the party establishment. We are going to send a strong message to the corrupt party leaders, and that message is this: we want a free, fair election where voters can choose their own candidate without the party leaders meddling and trying to influence the election in their favor.”

A Grassadellia City Times/University of Damoign poll conducted October 26-29 showed Jenna Duvan (N) leading a three-way race, receiving 50% support, followed by Mercer Diego (C) with 40% and Tesario (IND) with 10 percent.