Why Character Matters
This article is part of our Principled Voter series.
Does the character of a candidate matter? In a democracy, it does.
“In a president, character is everything. . . . [Y]ou can’t buy courage and decency, you can’t rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with [them].” — Peggy Noonan, 1995
Our form of government only works when leaders respect certain boundaries — like understanding and honoring the rule of law, respecting the balance of power, telling the truth, and treating people with basic respect. Those actions require character.
If you could choose your next police commissioner, or the principal of your children’s school, or the leader of a hospital network that was treating your illness, imagine the character traits you would prioritize. When we vote, we get to do that for our government. We set the standard for how we expect our leaders to behave.
Candidates with character demonstrate “integrity, compassion, and service to others, regardless of party.” When unforeseen events occur, we need leaders we can trust to do what’s right and in the right ways.
We vote for how as well as what. If good policy is tainted by corruption or deceit, or if it is forced through without compromise, our trust in government fractures and leads us to apathy and hopelessness.
Candidates with character recognize that there are limits to their power, and they are willing to collaborate to solve problems.
Our votes are not simply a wishlist of policy to-dos, but a sign of trust in those who earn our vote and an expression of hope in what our nation can become.
Character matters. Hope votes.
