Every year when election season rolls around Whitley County begins its time-honored tradition of pie suppers, or, as I affectionately refer to it, the legal fleecing of the candidates…LOL.
For those unfamiliar with the tradition, during each major election season various charities, such as fire departments, football boosters, churches, etc. host what are called pie suppers.
While I have never actually attended a pie supper, I have had these events described to me multiple times by several people.
The various entities will invite the candidates to attend the pie suppers. The candidates are typically given the opportunity to introduce themselves and say what office they are seeking.
Then there is the auction portion of the event where homemade pies, cakes and other assorted sweet goods are auctioned off to the highest bidder. It is generally expected that each candidate will either buy something or donate. (Whether all the sweets are really homemade is sometimes a debated topic…LOL.)
Every weekend between late February and the May Primary Election, there are multiple pie suppers scheduled, some of which happen at the same time. Sometimes the candidates are forced to send a surrogate to appear for them at some events and bid on something. It isn’t uncommon for there to be 20 or more pie suppers each spring during a major local election cycle.
Other types of desserts auctioned off at pie suppers include brownies, which leads me to one of the funniest pie supper stories that I know.
Many years ago, a friend of mine was running for office and took his pregnant wife along to a pie supper. When a plate of brownies came up for bid, the pregnant wife exclaimed, “Ohoo brownies!”
This prompted some of the other candidates to run up the bid on the plate of brownies that my friend ended up buying at a much-inflated price.
It also prompted my friend to offer the following words of wisdom, “Never take a pregnant woman to a pie supper!”
Can pie supper attendance actually make a difference in an election? According to another elected official, who is a friend of mine, the answer to that question is yes.
My friend was seeking re-election and facing stiff opposition several years ago. The friend had been out campaigning on a Friday night. It was late. He would have preferred to go home, but there was a small pie supper he had been invited to attend so he stopped off there first.
Those conducting this pie supper were evenly split down the middle on which candidate they were supporting in the race. They pledged that if one candidate showed up and the other didn’t, then they would all cast their ballots for the candidate, who showed up.
My friend was the only one of the two candidates, who showed up at this pie supper and got all their votes.
In what came down to a razor thin margin on election night, these votes were the difference in the race.
Suffice it to say that I affectionately referred to my friend as “landslide” for the next four years…LOL.
In case anyone is wondering why I have not attended a pie supper; it is for multiple reasons not the least of which is I have not lost enough of my senses yet to run for office. Also, if I go cover one pie supper, everyone will want me to cover their pie supper. If I take a picture of one candidate at a pie supper and run it in the newspaper, then all the candidates will want me to run their picture.
Before I conclude this column, let me remind readers about a chance they have to potentially win $100.
The News Journal People’s Choice Reader’s Poll began appearing in the newspaper last week.
This is your chance to help recognize your favorite businesses, servers, public officials, and so forth. Entries are due back to us by Friday, April 3.
There will be two ballots pulled from all the entries. One will receive a $100 cash prize and the other will receive a $50 cash prize. It could be yours if you enter.
