Dead Candidate Wins Calaveras County Supervisor Race
A dead man has won a supervisor race in Calaveras County after his opponent’s campaign faltered.
2 min read
Bruce Giudici, a 68-year-old former CFO from Calaveras County, California, has become the first dead person to win a local supervisor race. Giudici collapsed while door knocking on August 30 and died hours later. With the election so close, his name remained on the ballot, and he appears to be winning with a 57% vote share against his opponent, Clyde Clapp.
A Dead Man’s Victory
As of Tuesday evening, election officials reported that Giudici had an insurmountable lead, with 57% of the vote against Clapp. He now holds a 497-vote lead, despite only 500 votes remaining to be counted. The situation has taken on a macabre tone, with Giudici’s campaign arguing that voting for a dead candidate was better than supporting his opponent, who they claim is angry and incompetent.
Giuadici’s campaign website praised his character, stating, ‘Bruce was beloved by many. His passing has been met with an overwhelming outpouring of sympathy for his family, community, co-workers, and the organizations he supported through tireless dedication over the years.’ His involvement in the community was extensive, with contributions to numerous non-profits and community initiatives.
A Community Leader
Throughout his career, Giudici applied his financial and organizational skills to various organizations and non-profits, including Catholic Charities, the Stockton Homeless Shelter, public education initiatives, and the Valley Food Coalition. He was also a talented musician who played the trombone in local jazz and big bands.
His campaign highlighted his commitment to fiscal responsibility and ethical leadership, urging voters to honor his vision by voting for him on November 3. The appointment process will result in a temporary supervisor appointed by the governor in January, who will serve until an election can be held in 2028.
Political Mudslinging
The race has taken on a bizarre and comical tone, with Giudici’s campaign making the argument that voting for a dead candidate was better than voting for Clapp. The campaign’s website features a laundry list of accusations against Clapp, including failing to respond to local queries, owning properties deemed to be dangerous health hazards, and violating a court order in the 1990s to seek anger management counseling.
The situation has drawn comparisons to Mark Twain’s classic short story, ‘The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,’ which featured several 19th-century literary devices. The story proved that whether in a fictional California mining camp or a real-world local election, truth is always stranger and funnier than fiction.
Source: PJ Media
