vibinc

Meet Your Candidates!

The filing deadline has passed, and even though we still have a week for people to change their minds (pull out), here are the candidates that have qualified for the ballot. These names started out in a particular order, but ended up all crazy. Order should not be taken as any kind of endorsement or anything else, it just is what it is.

First, lets look as some familiar faces…

Kemp Conrad – Probably the strongest of the “losers” from last year’s election. Conrad lost to Shea Flinn, mostly because he and Joe Saino split the conservative vote. Despite that split, Conrad won one third of the precincts, and came in a close second in nearly every other. 9-2, like 9-3 was a crowded field with no one garnering more that 31% in either contest. If Conrad doesn’t have a challenger on the right, he could take this thing.

Mary Wilder – After last year’s campaign, Wilder was reviled by many, including myself, for “losing runner up Desi Franklin the race”. Whether this is, or is not the case is inconsequential…it’s another year, and another election, time to move on. Wilder’s third place finish in the 9-3 race was somewhat stronger that it appeared at first blush, but will still need a lot of improvement to win. The name recognition that last year’s contest brings may put her within striking distance.

Lester Lit – Lester had an interesting campaign tactic last year. Basically, he implored people who couldn’t vote for his campaign to vote for Desi or Mary. It didn’t work; Lit came in 4th place and neither Desi, nor Mary won. If the ballot ends up looking like it does now, we could have a repeat of that very race on our hands.

Regina Morrison Newman – In 2006 Regina came in second in a crowded field of candidates for General Sessions Judge. In that race, her vote total was greater than any of the 3 previously mentioned candidates. I know, apples and oranges… Still, if her name recognition hasn’t faded from memory in two years, it puts her in a stronger position than this stacked ballot may indicate.

Brian Stephens – Competing against a crowded field in Council District 2, Stephens looked strong. He came in second in the general, sending the race into a run-off. Turn-out, which was low, ultimately decided the fate of Stephens, but the contacts he made, and his strong endorsement from Coalition for a Better Memphis have had people talking since last year.

Antonio Parkinson – “2-Shay”, the 3rd place finisher in the race for District 1, Parkinson made a name for himself. To be honest, I don’t remember anything about him but the “2-Shay” part, but name recognition’s a big part of this game, so he’s got a good start.

John Willingham – Everyone’s favorite grumpy old man of Memphis politics. An election without Willingham on the ballot is like a day without sunshine. Willingham may have only received less than 1% of the vote in last year’s Mayoral race, but that’s 1% he can take off Conrad’s total, so I’m all for it!

Paul Shaffer – Business manager of the IBEW, so we can assume he has the support of labor. Not sure how that translates to votes in the more conservative areas of District 9, but stranger things have, and do, happen…almost daily. Shaffer ran for the Charter Commission, position 6 in 2006 and came in 5th.

There are some newish faces here too. To my limited knowledge, none of these people have run for anything. That doesn’t mean they haven’t, that just means I don’t know about it.

Jim Ogle – The VP of Operations for the Erickson Group recently led a Tour of Downtown Manhole Covers. Interesting platform sir!

Richard Stringer – He retired last year from his long time business. This year, he’s “re-fired” throwing his hat into the ring. Yeah, I know it was cheesy, I’m running out of material here.

Arnett Montague III – If you’re reading, email me with some info, you’re a ghost on the Tubes.

Obviously, there’s a week before the last date to withdraw. I’m sure some of these people will choose to defer, but I’m willing to put some money on some surprise hold-outs. One thing’s for sure, I doubt it will be boring.

Also check out the article from this morning’s CA.

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Steve Ross

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Comments

  1. Exile On South Main Street

    Heavy on Democrats, predictably, with 2Shay and Shaffer probably having the most immediate traction. Word on the street is that Willingham jumped in at the last minute purely to torpedo Kemp! Good luck to him!

    Reply
  2. vibinc

    Exile – I heard something similar about Willingham. That creates a potentially interesting situation for Conrad. I have little doubt that Willingham will stay in. He’s not a happy camper.

    Reply
  3. andromeda

    Apparently Mr. Conrad is not well-liked in his own party. Hmmmm. Run Willingham Run.

    As to Ms. Wilder, there is no question but that her candidacy last year kept another female Democrat from winning. Simple addition tells you that, and we ended up with Councilman Hedgepeth. That is not the way to do things and here we are again.

    Perhaps David Upton, friend of Jack Sammons who was mentor of Hedgepeth, needs to be asked WHY he urged Ms. Wilder to run last year. She has apparently never asked herself that question. As the Democratic Committeeman, Upton’s job should be to get Democrats elected, not torpedo them for Republicans.

    Our party needs a united front in this race, behind someone who can bring the Democrats together and win. Let the Republicans be the spintered ones.

    Reply
  4. LeftWingCracker

    Conrad has willingham, Stephens and Lit all pulling GOP votes away from him, this could get REAL ugly.

    I have heard through the grapevine that Wilder believes it’s HER turn now. I suspect she is more alone in that assessment than she realizes. With Shaffer in, there goes her labor support. With 2Shay in, there goes her African-American support. With Regina Newman in the race, there goes her female support. What’s she got left?

    Reply
  5. LeftWingCracker

    In short, Vollintine-Evergreen is NOT enough to win this race.

    Reply
  6. vibinc

    andromeda – Right now the field is thick. There are reports of various power brokers getting behind various candidates. At this point, it’s all rumors.

    One may assume that Upton is behind Wilder based on his support of her candidacy last year. Beyond that, I’m not going there.

    You are correct that the field needs to be trimmed on the left side of the ballot to defeat Conrad. By my count, I see 5 people who have varying degrees of support from Memphis Democrats. There needs to be a single consensus candidate, but this is a non-partisan race and exercising party muscle may be more difficult than normal.

    Further, the picture is complicated by some Democratic support for Stephens…but I’m getting ahead of myself.

    More in a future post.

    Reply
  7. Exile On South Main Street

    It will be difficult for the Democrats to coalesce here. Several extremely strong contenders, each of whom I could see having a credible path to victory (aside, ironically, from the one who seems to feel the most vocally entitled!)

    A splintered Dem vote and a GOP “front-runner” Kemp who is utterly despised by pretty much everyone in his own party opens the door for a strong independent candidate with bi-partisan appeal and high name recognition.

    Just sayin’.

    Reply
  8. vibinc

    Exile – You wouldn’t happen to have anyone in mind would you?

    For my part, I’m going to talk smack about everyone until enough people get out to make 500 or less word posts possible./snark

    Reply
  9. Wintermute

    RE: Mary Wilder, I stand by the observations I made here. I torpedoed her for State Rep. District 89 in favor of the other woman Upton proposed to me, Jeanne Richardson; and I have zero regrets so far there. And I live in Vollentine Evergreen.

    I won’t speculate on Dave’s motivations on backing Ms. Free Lunch for the Council, except to note in passing that the lovely and charming, blogger-knocking Desi Franklin was trying to cash in some IOU’s in that same race.

    I’m not FOR anyone so far in this, and I’m not desperate for another friend on the Council because I’m not in the real estate business anymore. I’m waiting to hear some of these candidates’ brilliant ideas on how to suture the gaping wound that is the city I was born in and must spend a few more years in before escaping.

    Reply

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