Time was, politicians left their families quietly at home; why court the sort of scandals that ensued when wayward first brothers Don Nixon, Billy Carter, and Roger Clinton got the limelight? After that families were supposed to be seen—beaming from the presidential convention stage, posing with the pooch in front of the tidy bungalow on city council campaign mailers. But not heard. Or they work behind the scenes, as George
W. Bush did selling his dad to wary Christian conservatives.But now…. The other night, when I answered an automated phone call touting Seattle City Council candidate Jordan Royer, the voice—warm, urbane, assured—sounded eerily familiar. Sure enough, it was Charley Royer, a three-term mayor in the 1970s and ’80s and before that a popular KING-TV commentator, effusing over his son’s statesmanlike qualities.

Does the next generation reciprocate this paternal loyalty? Yep. Soon afterward I got a real, live, very enthusiastic call from King County Councilmember Larry Phillips’ son Brett, who was dialing constituents to urge them to vote for Dad for county executive.

In this new political arms race, childless candidates and those whose kids are too young to dial for votes will be unfairly disadvantaged. Maybe they can hire surrogate families for the season.