Can't satnd the guy but admittedly I've only met him once. I find him very hypocritical, was a great campaigner for no cuts to libraries before he became a councillor and then voted in favour of them once elected. He's also the only candidate not to have responded to an email from a potential...
Personally I think it needs to be a bit of both - you are actually voting for the person but agreed, they are backed up by their party ( or indeed controlled by it ). If the person doesn't have a personality, or attitude, you think you can trust then you possibly shouldn't vote for them...