Who wants to be mayor
Who wants to be mayor
and what political gaming is being played to best position a candidate for the big election in the fall of 2007? I will be doing my best to sort this out for you over the next few weeks.
Gen
Gen
and what political gaming is being played to best position a candidate for the big election in the fall of 2007? I will be doing my best to sort this out for you over the next few weeks.
Gene Knutson, openly declared, supposedly backed by outgoing mayor Mark, is the favored candidate at this time for the one year appointment by the council. But - local political junkies have known all summer that the mayor favors Kelli Linville to replace him next year and that if she would not run then he was going for a fourth term. He has confirmed his considering another run - until this job offer that he accepted. But Kelli is running now, in 2006, for state legislature and is denying she will run for mayor next year. Most of us do not believe her. She has to say that in order to get elected this fall.
I hear reliably that Bill Gorman plans to run for mayor. Bill has many years of civic involvement - much of it in a quiet manner - and with the local Democratic Party. He is well qualified and a fair person. Expect to see him apply to the council.
Dan McShane wants to be mayor. His wife and brain trust, Lisa, spearheaded the clean bay initiative to set him in opposition to the mayor on the waterfront cleanup and be well positioned to run next year. Ahh, but the mayor's resignation upset that time table and may force Dan to announce a year early.
Now - Mark is nothing if not a complete planner and he loves power. So, while Gene may be playing it straight, don't think for a second that Mark is leaving the choice of his successor to chance. Perhaps he is backing Gene so Kelli will face Gene and not Dan next fall, with the expectation that Kelli can beat Gene but maybe not Dan. A Kelli - Dan race would split the Democrats for this non-partisan office.
So - do we have two liberal camps in opposition to each other for the next year? What is the bone they are fighting over? Is the bone the waterfront? Or the livability of our city neighborhoods - which many think has suffered under Mark? Or taxes and how to pay for some grandiose schemes? Will the council choose an ex-mayor for an interim mayor with the assurance he will not run next fall? I hear the council wants an interim mayor only.
I've not heard of a single viable conservative candidate. Have you?
Gene Knutson, openly declared, supposedly backed by outgoing mayor Mark, is the favored candidate at this time for the one year appointment by the council. But - local political junkies have known all summer that the mayor favors Kelli Linville to replace him next year and that if she would not run then he was going for a fourth term. He has confirmed his considering another run - until this job offer that he accepted. But Kelli is running now, in 2006, for state legislature and is denying she will run for mayor next year. Most of us do not believe her. She has to say that in order to get elected this fall.
I hear reliably that Bill Gorman plans to run for mayor. Bill has many years of civic involvement - much of it in a quiet manner - and with the local Democratic Party. He is well qualified and a fair person. Expect to see him apply to the council.
Dan McShane wants to be mayor. His wife and brain trust, Lisa, spearheaded the clean bay initiative to set him in opposition to the mayor on the waterfront cleanup and be well positioned to run next year. Ahh, but the mayor's resignation upset that time table and may force Dan to announce a year early.
Now - Mark is nothing if not a complete planner and he loves power. So, while Gene may be playing it straight, don't think for a second that Mark is leaving the choice of his successor to chance. Perhaps he is backing Gene so Kelli will face Gene and not Dan next fall, with the expectation that Kelli can beat Gene but maybe not Dan. A Kelli - Dan race would split the Democrats for this non-partisan office.
So - do we have two liberal camps in opposition to each other for the next year? What is the bone they are fighting over? Is the bone the waterfront? Or the livability of our city neighborhoods - which many think has suffered under Mark? Or taxes and how to pay for some grandiose schemes? Will the council choose an ex-mayor for an interim mayor with the assurance he will not run next fall? I hear the council wants an interim mayor only.
I've not heard of a single viable conservative candidate. Have you?
