Stockton Political Candidates Taking Swipes On Social Media As Campaign Heats Up
STOCKTON (CBS13) — Stockton City Council members took swipes at each other on Facebook last week. They said social media is a way for them to reach their constituents and they're standing behind what they post and what they like online. The question is if voters like it and are in any way influenced by what they read in the posts.
Last week, Mayor Anthony Silva and Allen Sawyer, a Stockton political consultant working with seven candidates this year, both liked a comment posted on the page Sawyer runs "Stockton Safe Streets." The comment was posted by the community page "San Joaquin County Safe Streets" and it wrote that Councilman Elbert Holman was a crook and used an expletive.
"I agree with everything in that comment," said Sawyer, who has a long warring history with Holman. Holman, a former police officer, led the investigation that landed Sawyer in jail for six months. Sawyer was later exonerated.
CBS13 tried several times to reach Holman by calling his office and through his Facebook page, but he never responded to our interview request.
Politicians taking shots at rivals isn't new, but it's becoming more common online. CBS13 wanted to know if voters like or dislike the Facebook trash talk.
"I believe it takes one to know one - it takes a crook to know a crook," said Stockton registered voter who just gave his first name "Tom."
"So maybe he is a crook, but you know what? If I accuse you of being a crook and I know what I'm talking about, well."
"People in their position should be held at a higher standard and not bring themselves to that level," said Stockton registered voter Rachel Smith.
It is an election year. TV and newspaper ads, mailers, and signs require a lot of money. Social media is a free forum that reaches thousands at once.
However, there's no guarantee registered voters in your area are the ones seeing the posts and some voters would rather councilmembers talk about the future rather than the past.
"When they can't get along, that says something about how I would vote, yes," said Stockton registered voter Burnis White.
Stockton City Hall said it doesn't have a code of conduct policy regarding councilmembers social media use if it is personal or campaign related.