Stature vs relationship for recommendation letters
There is more to the story. A weak letter from a &quot;strong&quot; person means very little. If they can't say much about you to support your candidacy, based on what they know, and just send a &quot;form&quot; letter, then it won't have much impact.
On the other hand, a letter from someone who knows you well can read as a much more enthusiastic endorsement.
But, it is the reader who gets to judge. If they actually &quot;know&quot; the writer then it is likely to have more weight, rather than the abstract reputation of the writer.