For the past 40 years, Philadelphia-based political strategist Neil Oxman has been meeting the same group of people on Election Day. The group of 15 or 20 will go to Philadelphia deli, Famous, for lunch.
“That’s a tradition. It’s not like I wear red socks or something,” Oxman told DV Journal.
Or the same pair of underwear.
Famed Democratic strategist Jimmy Carville, long before he led Bill Clinton to victory against George H.W. Bush, never changed his shorts during Bob Casey Sr.’s successful 1986 gubernatorial run. Carville’s reason? He wanted to show his dedication to his craft and his client.
While superstitions and traditions are typically associated with sports – particularly the playoffs – plenty of Pennsylvania political strategists and candidates have a routine on Election Day.
Former President Barack Obama played basketball on every Election Day during the 2008 primary — except one: The New Hampshire primary. Which he lost in a surprise upset to Hillary Clinton.
“We made the mistake of not playing basketball once. I can assure you we will not repeat that,” Obama aide Robert Gibbs said afterward. Obama continued the tradition through the 2016 general election, shooting hoops at the White House to help bring good luck to Hillary Clinton. (It didn’t.)
William McKinley could be spotted every Election Day sporting a lucky red carnation in his lapel. The 25th president had been given one by a friend and political opponent the first time McKinley ran for Congress. He won and became convinced the red flowers brought him luck. As president, he kept bouquets of them in the Oval Office.
McKinley wouldn’t be caught dead without a red carnation, until one day while greeting supporters in Upstate New York and a little girl asked for the flower from his lapel. Reluctantly the president unpinned it and handed it over. A few minutes later at the same event, he was shot by his assassin, Leon Czolgosz.
Closer to home, longtime Pennsylvania GOP strategist Charlie Gerow said, “I’m an old athlete. I have more superstitions than you can shake a stick at.”
When asked what the best of his superstitions was, Gerow said it was having “the soup at my polling place. Most important Election Day tradition.”
Some political strategists plan to keep things as normal as possible.
For Republican strategist Christopher Nicholas, it’s going to the ballot box.
“I always vote!” he told DVJournal. He’ll also get lunch with his cousin.
“I always get a haircut on Election Day once the polls open … maybe 10 or 11 o’clock,” said Republican strategist Vince Galko.
He told DVJournal there are two or three longtime friends that he’ll check in with before the polls open. After that, it’s working the phones, visiting a couple of campaign headquarters, and monitoring the news for any developments.
Traditionally, Galko goes to a candidate or client’s headquarters to watch returns. This year, however, he has something different in mind.
“I’m planning to watch it with my kids. I’ll be distracted, of course, but we’re going to watch it and see the results … I’m sure they’re not going to sit there for four hours, but that’s the plan,” he told DVJournal.
Other strategists, like public relations executive Larry Ceisler and longtime Democrat strategist TJ Rooney, told DVJournal they have no superstitions or traditions.
Keystone State politicians have plans for Election Day.
“We go to a number of polling places all Election Day to see voters,” Timothy Mack, a spokesperson for Rep. Madeline Dean (D-Montgomery), told DVJournal.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) has an Election Night event in Scranton while GOP challenger Dave McCormick will be in Pittsburgh for an Election Night party.
Neither campaign said if they had any Election Day traditions or superstitions.
