Clayton and Lois Dukes are folks who've been active in Clay County politics a long time.  If it's election year, the Dukes are going to throw another of their famous meet-and-greet barbecues.  This campaign season's feast is tomorrow and, as usual, it's open to every candidate and their families, along with any local citizen who'd like the opportunity to meet the folks running for various offices this year.

Folks who attended Wednesday night's candidate forum have already been invited, courtesy of County Clerk candidate Wayne Spivey, who left the impression (by saying it) that the barbecue is in honor of his candidacy.

But that, according to Lois Dukes, is blatantly (her word, not mine) incorrect to say the barbecue is being held for Spivey - or any other particular political candidate. 

Some other candidates, who have no desire to waste away their afternoon feting Spivey's candidacy, have been calling since Wednesday's announcement at the forum and canceling their previously-planned attendance.

So, the day before the barbecue, when they should be wrapping up the final few finishing touches, the Dukes are having to call candidates and make sure they understand it's not Spivey's gig, and asked if I'd help get the word out to regular folks who may have been misled as a result of the County Clerk candidate's announcement.

All that hard preparation work (hard for anyone, much less someone like Clayton, who celebrated his 90th birthday a couple of election cycles ago), and now they're working even harder just to counteract the effects of a candidate's inaccurate and self-serving public announcement.

I have a prior engagement and won't be able to visit with the Dukes, Clay County's candidates and other interested voters tomorrow.  Sorry I won't be there to hear when Spivey takes the microphone.  But anyone who's interested in meeting any candidate (not just Spivey) is welcome to join the party.  It'll be 1 p.m. at the community center at 3860 Doctors Lake Drive.

Michael S. Mann

michaelsmann@comcast.net [1]