Charlyne Brumskine, daughter of the late Liberian politician Charles Brumskine, has staunchly defended her decision to run as Alexander Cummings’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 Liberian presidential election. This decision followed a petition by residents of Grand Bassa County’s District #3 for her to run for a representative seat. Brumskine argues that the representative position was far from guaranteed given the existing political landscape. She cited the internal divisions within her own Liberty Party at the time and the presence of strong competitors from other major parties, the Unity Party and the Coalition for Democratic Change, within the district. For Brumskine, the risk of losing the representative election weighed heavily against the potential benefits of joining the national ticket. She positioned herself as a “career person” rather than a “career politician,” suggesting that clinging to power for its own sake wasn’t her motivation.
Brumskine emphasizes that her decision to join the Cummings ticket wasn’t taken lightly nor was it made unilaterally. She consulted with her family, including her initially hesitant husband, and sought spiritual guidance through prayer. Brumskine describes a two-week period of deliberation and reflection following Cummings’s offer in Ganta, Nimba County. This period allowed her to weigh the pros and cons and ultimately led her to believe that accepting the vice-presidential candidacy was the right path. This decision, she explains, went against the conventional wisdom in Liberia, where, she asserts, people often prioritize the safety of a guaranteed win over the potential for greater influence at a higher level.
Before finalizing her decision, Brumskine engaged with the people of Grand Bassa County through a series of town hall meetings. She listened to their aspirations, particularly their desire to have a president from their region. Brumskine presented her vice-presidential candidacy as an opportunity to bring Grand Bassa to the national table, arguing that the county had been underrepresented. She even suggested the potential for Grand Bassa to become the commercial capital of Liberia, complementing Monrovia’s role as the political capital.
Brumskine underscores that politics isn’t her sole purpose in life. She believes that despite not holding elected office, she has achieved a level of influence that surpasses that of many Liberian lawmakers. She contrasts the limited scope of a district representative role with the national and international exposure afforded by a vice-presidential candidacy. The potential to have her name recognized across Liberia, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African continent, and even the United States outweighed the possibility of a localized, and potentially unsuccessful, representative bid.
Brumskine reiterates her lack of regret regarding her decision. She presents a pragmatic assessment of the political realities she faced, emphasizing the calculated risks involved in both paths available to her. The potential for broader impact on a national and international stage, she argues, justified choosing the vice-presidential route. This decision, she maintains, was driven by a desire to serve the people of Grand Bassa and Liberia on a larger scale, rather than by personal ambition.
Furthermore, Brumskine maintains an open stance towards future service to the people of Grand Bassa County. She expresses a willingness to consider elected positions should the opportunity arise again. This leaves the door open for a future return to local politics, demonstrating her continued commitment to the region and its people. Her current focus, however, remains on the impact she can achieve through her non-elected platform and the potential she saw in the vice-presidential candidacy.
