Candidate of the week

At first, the candidate’s surname just got him mentioned in stories alongside other name-alike candidates, such as S. Issa, Edward “Ed” Kennedy and Robert “Butch” Dole. But all that changed last Wednesday when San Jose’s The Mercury News gave the self-employed Palo Alto software consultant his first headline: “Suspect in slaying, recall candidate says he’ll quit race.”

Davis, according to the story, was arrested and charged with killing a man in Fulton County, Ga. Although charges were dropped in 1998, the story says that, according to District Attorney Paul Howard, Davis remains the “top suspect” in the unsolved slaying and arson. Davis, who says he’s innocent, e-mailed The Mercury News, saying he’s “departing for a brief vacation and will not speak to the media.”

Davis did not return calls from SN&R, and his campaign Web site has been shut down, except for a single page that shows a cartoon figure walking out of the frame, carrying a box marked “HUMAN ORGANS.” Raising awareness about organ donation was, according to the site, a primary motivation behind Davis’ campaign: “If we saved one life by this effort, it was worth it.”

Even though the site was shut down, cached versions of the original site still could be found on Friday and showed the candidate as he originally wanted to be portrayed. The following is printed verbatim:

Name: Scott Davis

Political Party:Independent

Age: 38

Occupation: Business Owner, Founder and CEO of Valero Solutions, a high-tech consulting company.

Education:MBA from the University of Georgia, 1988. BS in Business from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 1987.

City of Residence: Palo Alto, CA.

Marital Status: Single, Homeowner with 2 dogs named Sydney and Rio

Career experience and personal highlights: Award-winning Silicon Valley software executive, local activist, business owner, and music enthusiast. Dedicated sprint tri-athlete, runner, and soccer player. Member of the Commonwealth Club of California and avid reader of Presidential biographies. World traveler and trained gourmet chef.

Philanthropy: Coalition on Donation www.ShareYourLife.org — Organ Donation

Why I am running: “California is in a state of disarray and financial disaster. We need a businessperson to bring new ideas to the table for running this state and bring true fiscal and social leadership — We do not need someone who bows to special interests. I want to make a difference for all Californians.”

Slogan: “The Real Davis for Governor — More Results with Less Government!”

Why Californians should vote for me:“I am an Independent with fresh ideas and no ties to party politics or special interests. I want to run this state like a business, promoting fiscal and social responsibility while protecting our environment and improving our educational system. I just want to use my business skills to create jobs and make this great state what is [sic] should be.”

The irony, of course, is that the Davis who no longer wants to be governor will be listed as a candidate on the ballot, while the Davis who does will not.