Why Irons, Makowetski Won the Primary Election

by Jack McCurdy

Mayor Jamie Irons and ally Matt Makowetski swept the Morro Bay primary election last month, giving them a clear majority on the City Council, counting Christine Johnson and Noah Smukler who were not up for reelection. The other winner in the primary was John Headdiing, who does not appear, at least at this point, to be aligned with opponents of the new majority — past opponents such as Council member Nancy Johnson, who lost to Headding, and George Leage, who did not stand for re-election.

Historically, it's a new day for the likes of Irons, Christine Johnson, Smukler, and Makowetski, who are joined by the determination to build a new wastewater treatment plant that the previous Council majority (including Nancy Johnson and Leage) had procrastinated on for years, costing the city significant amounts of money. Carla Wixom, who lost to Irons, was among those. The new Council majority has prioritized a whole range of city improvements, ranging from more street paving to redeveloping the old sewage plant overlooking Estero Bay, and finding uses for the power plant property that will benefit the community.

It figured to be a close election—at least that's what some of the candidates and others assumed. But Morro Bay mayor Jamie Irons was reelected on June 3 and new city council candidate, Makowetski, powered to victory even more dramatically by winning more votes than Irons.
Irons won in spite of the hullabaloo last fall over the departure of city attorney Rob Schultz and city manger Andrea Lueker, very prominent figures in City Hall, which unleashed unprecedented numbers of attackers and name-calling aimed at Irons, who, as mayor, was in the cross-hairs of those objecting to the power Schultz and Lueker were forced to relinquish in their top city staff positions. Power that some believe was sometimes exercised for the benefit of business and development interests in Morro Bay.

Keep in mind Irons and Makowetski swept the returns in the city PRIMARY election—a primary, which, as such, gets MANY fewer votes than the general election in November.

But for the first time in city history, Irons, Christine Johnson and Noah Smukler surprisingly got elected in the primary two years ago and now irons and Makowetski did it again. It was widely assumed that the election of Irons, Johnson and Smukler two years ago was a "freak" thing not likely to be seen again soon because in most areas, candidates just can't win a majority in primaries.

What does all this reflect? Irons and Makowetski won in a primary where turnout is traditionally much lower than in general elections and Irons won in the face of an outrage, at least among some residents, over what happened to Schultz and Lueker, two long-time city officials who were revered by not a few with interests in business, land (and waterfront lease) development and property ownership?

It seems to show clearly that average people with little if any special interests in Morro Bay (except the well-being of the community) "rose up" and joined the well-organized campaigns conducted by Irons and Makowetski and their followers. That helped give Irons and Makowetski the numbers they needed to empower their campaigns.

The supporters—in addition to Irons and Makowetski—went door to door to meet prospective voters face to face, find out what they were concerned about in the city and explain what they as candidates were interested in as far as making Morro Bay a secure, productive and pleasant place to live. And they also did it by calling regular voters (phone banking) and interacting in conversations—making contacts that showed they care about the town and its inhabitants.

Their defeated opponents—Carla Wixom for mayor, and Nancy Johnson for reelection as Council member—also did much of this kind of campaigning, but it clearly amounted to a drop in the bucket compared to the wave of outreach that the Irons and Makowetski camps pulled off. Wixom, Johnson and new candidate John Headding sent campaign mailers to residents, as did Irons and Makowetski. Their supporters also succeeded in placing letters to the editor in local newspapers. But evidence strongly indicates that personal contacts greatly outweigh mailers in winning over prospective voters.

And in that regard, there was no contest in the vigor of the campaigns between Irons and Makowetski (a strong supporter of the Irons, Christine Johnson and Smukler camp) and Wixom, Nancy Johnson and Headding.

But it needs to be pointed out that Headding won a Council seat along with Makowetski, mainly because Nancy Johnson dropped out at the last minute when it seemed that Headding was going to win any way in the general election next November, representing a run-off between the two.
Another factor in the election of Makowetski, a fourth generation Morro Bay resident and an English teacher at Maple High School in Lompoc, is the persuasiveness and impressive articulateness he has shown as a member of the city's Public Works Advisory Board for six years and its chair for four years. Colleagues said those traits were impressively displayed in meeting with and talking to prospective voters during the campaign. Irons also has those communicative capabilities, those who campaigned with and for him say.

One supporter recalled, "I walked along with Matt one afternoon, and I was amazed at how much time he spent at each house. School teachers like to talk, but he took a genuine interest in each person who answered the door. He just talked to them in a sincere manner, told them that he was the son of a fisherman, which must have been of interest. And that he taught school, had a family, and then answered any questions they had. I am convinced if you intend to 'walk for a candidate' you NEED to walk along and hear what they say to people! When asked about the WWTP, he said he would support other Council members who are pursuing a new location and is environmentally superior to the old plant. He told them he would work to keep the costs down."

Makowetski reportedly visited more than 2,000 homes on foot during the primary campaign.

Bruce Risley was credited with developing effective precinct walking in the 1980s, which got him elected to the Council. And Smukler set the broader paradigm for successful candidacies in 2008 when he won election to the Council resoundingly after organizing a campaign that focused not only on precinct walking but on phone banking and political flyers dropped door to door or mailed. His campaign was organized with Walter Heath, who was recently quoted as saying, "The strategic key to victories lies in out-organizing your opponent." Which Noah and his successors and Heath have been known for since.

Money is said to win elections, but in the case of the Morro Bay primary, there was little difference in the candidates' fund-raising achievements. (See below.)

For both Irons and Makowetski, they focused on "what they could do better and how they as Council members could serve residents more effectively," without criticizing recent majorities of the Council for their shortcomings, which seem to be widely-known any way.

Both candidates also made appearances on websites such as Facebook with daily postings, and they received a lot of support messages there. Supporters also staffed election tables at markets such as Spencer's and Albertson's and let shoppers know who their candidates were.

During the campaign, some residents asked why Irons as mayor supported the termination of Schultz and Lueker and "just refused to accept the fact that Irons could not say why," one supporter said. The Council has the authority to terminate employees without reason or cause, and had any Council member, including Irons, stated a reason or reasons, it could have opened the city to legal action by Schultz and/or Lueker. The Council majority let it be known they could do better than Schultz and Lueker.

That many residents wanted to know the reason or reasons Schultz and Lueker left was widely known. But even without an answer, Irons won reelection handily. Did his personal and professional traits and/or his record in office, such as playing a significant role in getting the city moving in pursuit of a new wastewater treatment plant, carry the day? Very possible. But he also could have benefitted from resentment and disgust of some residents to the attacks and attempt to recall him that may have backfired. (See: Slo Coast Journal / February 2014)

While the Irons and Makowetski campaigns reflected positive positions on issues of importance to residents, except, perhaps, the failure to answer the why of the Schutz and Lueker departures, their opponents may have at least partly seemed negative by mentioning Irons' role in the Schultz and Lueker incidents and repeating criticisms of him.

The removal of John Diodati from the city Planning Commission three years ago may have come home to roost for Wixom (then named Borchard), who as a Council member spearheaded his removal. She cited his being late for Commission meetings several times, which he blamed on attending his son's Little League games that he helped to coach. He finally quit the Commission and Borchard received much blame for him leaving the advisory body for no good reason.

Final Candidate Total Vote