With over 100 prospects for Governor in the California recall election, some candidates will inevitably be more suited to the task than others. Perhaps one of the more ironic aspects of this race ‹ and there are many ‹ is that some of the most intelligent and capable gubernatorial candidates will be those least likely to win.

It would be easy to eliminate all but the most conventional candidates ‹ those with commercials, those taking part in debates, those seen in the evening news. But if one were to look at the issues rather than the front page, the election might be quite different, bringing a very different crowd to the forefront of candidates. For UC students who have seen fees increase 40 percent in the past year, for recent graduates who have been unable to find decent-paying jobs (or any kind of jobs), key factors in the decision of which box to check in the upcoming election would be education and unemployment. These issues are key concerns of gubernatorial candidate Lingel Winters.

A former Navy officer and father of two, Winters has been a consumer advocate for over 35 years. The main aspects of his platform are jobs, education, health care, the environment and protection of human rights.

Winters wants to eliminate the tuition hike, require state contractors add jobs in California, introduce tax incentives to further stimulate employment, and encourage fiscal responsibility.

His objectives are admirable, his methods reasonable, and the thing that should really have voters shaking their heads about Winters¹ candidacy is the fact that it is practically impossible for him to win this race because his views and ideas will never reach the mainstream.

Of course, this is the plight of most gubernatorial candidates (or anyone else without political connections) who are trying to bring their concerns to the attention of the masses. In the light of the standard mud-slinging, too-much-money politics that dominate politics, a low-budget campaign is commendable and refreshing.

The Guardian admires those candidates who have put up with ridicule, inattention and near complete disregard from the media to voice their concerns or simply to exercise their democratic rights. In the spirit of that admiration, the Guardian endorses Lingel H. Winters for governor.

Note: Lingel H. Winters is the great step-uncle, once-removed, of Guardian co-opinion editor Jessica Lingel.