‘Just trying to pay my rent’: Canadian man wins local election by telling voters he’s ‘unqualified’ for the job
I'd vote for him
They say there are no honest politicians, but a Canadian man who took an unconventional approach to campaigning in his local election may have just proven that honesty really is the best policy after his campaign went viral.
Brady Rogers took a rather unusual approach when it came to his campaign. Instead of promising popular policies or focusing on why he was right for the job, the 33-year-old business owner from Kelowna, British Columbia, advertised all the reasons he was the wrong fit. The messaging on his site and on signs around his town focused on how unqualified he was for the job, with quotes such as “Just trying to pay my rent” and “I barely want to do this.”
His introduction on his website reads, “Do I enjoy politics? No. Do I know what I’m doing? No. But am I qualified? Also no.” These are just some of the sarcastic and humorous messages that were on full display as part of Rogers’ campaign for a seat on the city council.
Another tongue-in-cheek roadside sign read, “Brady Rogers for Mayor,” before clarifying, “Just kidding. City Council.” Meanwhile, another poked fun at older politicians by highlighting that he was under 60 years old. Rogers even went as far as to create an ad attacking himself, before batting away the allegations in his own video.
Brady Rogers’ campaign proves to be popular
Rogers’ approach seems counterintuitive; after all, normally unconventional political campaigns end in disaster. However, it struck a chord with voters, and the strange strategy actually paid off. Rogers ended up receiving tens of thousands of votes, leading to him winning the seat on the city council and becoming a politician (and presumably being able to pay his rent now, too).
Netizens who caught wind of Rogers’ unusual campaign couldn’t get enough of the man’s brutally honest campaign. “So glad Brady Roger’s won city council this place is an absolute nightmare and the government hates us he might be our last hope,” wrote one X account.
However, not everyone was on board with the idea of Rogers getting the position despite proudly claiming he was unqualified. One individual called it “a waste of taxpayer money,” claiming Rogers was being paid “something like 50$k a year for being counter culture [sic].”
But another person claimed that Rogers actually “has a pretty solid background” and that his campaign was “deliberately self-deprecating and half-joking.” Whatever the case, it seems many view Brady Rogers as a breath of fresh air. Many related to his campaign, and part of that was because it showed him to be someone who isn’t like the average out-of-touch politician.
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