[The Editors' Verdict] Losing Well Matters in Elections Too

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At the final stage of the official election campaign, there was a metropolitan mayoral candidate in the Seoul metropolitan area who chose the "72-hour campaign." This took place during the 4th nationwide local elections in 2006. For three days, the candidate embarked on an intense campaign, forgoing sleep at night. He met voters at bus stops, parks, subway stations, and in every corner of alleyways.

The outcome was already tilted. At that time, the local elections saw such an extreme swing in public sentiment that candidates from certain parties in the metropolitan area suffered a near total defeat. No matter how outstanding a candidate’s abilities were, it was impossible to withstand the overwhelming tide. The candidate who chose the 72-hour campaign also lost by more than double the votes of the winner.

But results are not everything in elections. The sight of a candidate running until the very end, utterly exhausted, left a profound impression in political circles. That is what it means to truly leave a mark in an election. I still vividly remember the conversation I had with the chief strategist of the candidate who carried out the 72-hour campaign. "Losing well is important too." Though it was a short sentence, it carried more weight than any written words.

Politics is about connecting one point to another, drawing a line. It is the process of proving one’s value within given circumstances. One must know how to accumulate intangible assets that cannot be measured by simple vote percentages. What happened to the protagonist of the 72-hour campaign? Nineteen years later, he re-emerged on the central political stage, helping secure a presidential victory as the chief campaign manager for presidential candidate Lee Jaemyung. Even as the years have passed, his value is still respected.

Will there be another politician who inspires such anticipation in the 9th nationwide local elections coming up on June 3? As party primaries are in full swing, what is happening in various places is closer to disappointment than hope. The desire to win a party nomination is understandable. However, passion and greed must be distinguished. Jumping into negative campaigns based on unfounded suspicions is a trap of chasing small gains while risking greater losses and ultimately harms one’s political career. Politicians with the greatest promise for the future should be especially wary of such actions. This means they should never damage their own value by being blinded by immediate gain.

Relying on factional politics ahead of the primaries is no different. While it may help secure votes in the short term, there are no free lunches in politics. The more one depends on factions, the more originality is diluted. In the end, they become nothing more than a cog in the political machine. It is questionable whether voters will be attracted to politicians who champion the interests of particular factions. Even if they win the party primary, their political career is unlikely to last long. Their appeal will fade before it can even fully blossom.

This is why losing well is important in elections. One must clearly communicate the reason for running and the blueprint for the politics they dream of, so there are no lingering regrets. Attempting to draw attention with unrealistic policies or proposing populist policies only leads to disappointment rather than hope. Such tactics may momentarily attract attention, but it is difficult to become a politician who leaves voters with positive memories.

This is a point that candidates in the June 3 local election finals should keep in mind. In past local elections, skewed voting patterns were common. Even highly capable candidates may not win the voters’ choice. Even if they do not achieve victory, they must leave behind expectations for political efficacy. Only then will they be remembered as someone voters wish to give another chance to in the future. That is what it means to truly leave a mark in an election.

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