Earlier today,
Sam Yoon emailed his supporters and signaled that he'll be making Dorchester the focus of his campaign between now and election day.
Here's how the at-large Boston City Council candidate put it:
"Our campaign has decided to focus our volunteer efforts on Dorchester-because Dorchester is my home, and because I feel very strongly that Dorchester deserves another voice on the City Council! So this weekend we are focusing all of our energy to get the word out-I am the ONLY candidate from Dorchester in this year's at Large race. Dorchester is the place to secure our vote...and to propel us into City Hall."
Two things seem odd here. First, if this is Yoon's strategy, why is he announcing it publicly? Doing so just gives his opponents a chance to respond accordingly.
Furthermore, the wisdom of focusing on Dorchester seems deeply questionable. His results there were a mixed bag in the preliminary: he placed second in Wards 15 and 17, third in Ward 14, and
sixth in Wards 13 and 16. Is Yoon going to neglect Ward 3, Boston proper, which includes Chinatown and where he finished first in the September preliminary? How about Wards 4 and 5, the Back Bay, where he ran a strong second and received nearly as many votes as Felix Arroyo?
Maybe this is a
Machiavellian misdirection. But if it's really Yoon's plan, he's taking a big risk.