# National parties taking down local candidates? Common? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 27, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-parties-taking-down-local-candidates-common/729049 "2015-08-27T11:58:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-parties-taking-down-local-candidates-common/729049/1 "2015-08-27T11:58:24Z")
I say national parties start looking at local elected officials (I’m talking city and state level here) and begin to either weed out or build up those they like or dislike pretty early. After all politicians build on earlier election success so it might be in a parties interest to take out an opponent say when they are running for state legislature than when they are running for congress. It’s also much cheaper. Getting elected at the county level might be $25,000 while running for congress or knocking off a seated congressman could take millions. OTOH a party might want to help out someone who shows promise to get going early. Do you all see this? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-parties-taking-down-local-candidates-common/729049/2 "2015-08-27T12:37:35Z")
Local positions are kind of the minor leagues of politics, and just like the minor leagues, it’s impossible to predict who will be good and who will be bad. (Either in political positions or in electoral politics.) I don’t see any reason the national party organization should feel it’s worth their time or expense to filter lower level politicians; that’s what the state and local party organizations are for.