Party Support?

Today I was contacted by the Democratic Party offering to support my campaign.  

    From my brief phone call, if I were to accept I could expect the following:

• I would be responsible to do some canvassing with the other Democratic Party supported candidates on the ballot.  
• In April beyond the school board seat, I believe my ballot will have...
• State Supreme Court
• Neenah Alderman for District 1
• Neenah City Mayor
• I'd have access to their data about voting and survey response records for different households.  
• My literature and signage's distribution would be supported by their volunteer canvassers.  My literature would be included with the rest of other supported candidate's literature. 
• They could cover some costs of getting my literature and signage printed/produced.

    As a first-time candidate, I had spoken with other former school board candidates, and I knew what to expect could be materially offered by a party.  I asked the party for a candid response to weighing the advantages and disadvantages to affiliating with a party or staying independent.  Some of the points raised were as follows:

• Pro to accept:  Party has a track record of winning.  
• Of course not 100%, but a handful of former school board members were mentioned as having won with the support of the democratic party.
• Pro to accept:  Probably secures support from a large portion of left-leaning voters.
• Con to accept:  Probably assures no support from a similarly sized portion of right-leaning voters.
• Neutral:  The current board president was an example of someone who proved that you could draw many votes without being affiliated with a party.
• Neutral:  The race is funny in that 3 seats are to be filled by 4 candidates, none of whom are incumbents, and one of whom everyone assuredly says will not campaign but whose name will appear on the ballot.  

    I’m torn about what to decide. On one hand, I’m aware of how partisanship is perceived today—by some, it’s seen as irredeemable. Running as an independent carries an image of idealistic purity, but I’m not sure how meaningful that really is. That purity feels imagined: first by me as a way to frame my candidacy, and second because, as a voter, I’m skeptical that such framing actually matters--especially at a local election like this.  I don't know.

    The purity also feels imagined because it is a purity test immediately offering to relieve me of certain pains of trying to run a candidacy.

• Cost, reducing the...
• A former school board candidate gave me the breakdown of costs associated with their campaign:
• $750 for signs
• $1000 for literature printing
• I think I can probably spend less than that for what I want, but I really wish I could save that money for my daughters' future instead of spend any of it.  
• I have to remind myself to reframe here and consider that becoming a School Board Member is an investment in its own right, where the primary cost will be my time and energy, but the payoff will be the nudging of our world directionally into better place one decision at a time.  And, like any investment, there's risk in whether the payout will be realized.  As Alexis de Tocqueville said, "Citizens who are bound to take part in public affairs must turn from their private interests and occasionally take a look at something other than themselves."
• Canvassing
• I have a tool I created from data purchased at https://badgervoters.wi.gov which can help me find the households that have voted much for April elections in the past.  But having an improved set of data to help narrow which houses to knock on would be meaningful.
• It is really cold, and I am not eager to get out and knock on doors if I'm being honest.  But the scale of having other volunteers pushing my literature around the district would be a meaningful upgrade in reach.

    If I...

•     ...work with Democratic Party...
• I will be sad that I can't hold up my independent purity badge as a bonafide of my nonpartisanship.  
• I will be viewed by some as an adversary, which saddens me because it is so much harder to get good faith candor from someone who views you as adversarial.  
• I don't expect to feel like I have to tow the party line.  I'm willing to listen, and consider good faith ideas from any one who has them.  I would like to be a representative of our district above and beyond any partisan affiliations.
• ...don't work with Democratic Party...
• I get to claim the title of "independent" and the purity that may or may not entail.
• I can approach folks from either side of the aisle and play devil's advocate without it being construed as disingenuous.  
• I will be quite on-my-own when it comes to canvassing.
• I do have my own house targeting tool, but I still cannot make up for access to other volunteers to disseminate literature.
• I will be on my own with costs.

    I am truly undecided about this.  I plan to talk it over with other candidates to see what they think.