Third Candidate in Montgomery Mayoral Race Could Shift the Black Vote

WAKA Action 8 News,
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by WAKA Action 8 News

[gtxvideo vid=”mnkvspec” playlist=”” pid=”XiOflQdH” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/mnkvspec.jpg” vtitle=”3rd candidate”]

The mayor’s race in Montgomery is heating up as another candidate throws his hat into the ring. Montgomery County Commission vice chairman, Dan Harris, is now the third candidate trying for the mayor’s seat.

Harris joins former Congressman, Artur Davis, and incumbent mayor Todd Strange, but now with three names in the hat, what makes each of them the better candidate? And what does this mean for voters in Montgomery?

 

Harris says now that he’s in the race for mayor of Montgomery, he plans to focus his campaign on Economic Development, Education, Violent Crime, Community Development and the city’s Fiscal Issues.

 

“I think I served well on the county commission. I have a record and I’ll run on that record and I’ve enjoyed that service, but I believe that I can better use my talents and my vision in service to this community in the position as mayor,” Said Harris.

     

But former Congressmen Artur Davis says he’s not impressed. He made his announcement to run last month.

 

“I have one of two conclusions: either there’s even more dissatisfaction with mayor strange  than I thought, or somebody really wants to divide up a certain part of the vote in this community,” Said Davis, speaking about the Black vote.

 

Political analyst Steve Flowers says race is a factor for these mayoral candidates…

 
Here’s the breakdown of voters in Montgomery:
 
     Montgomery’s population is split 58 % black to 42 % white.
     Of that 58 %, 50 percent are registered voters.
     Of those registered voters, about 66 % will place their ballot.
     Flowers says that gives Mayor Todd Strange an upper hand.
 

“By far. And he’s going to get some African American voters. He’s going to get more African American voters than the African American candidates are going to get white voters,” Said Flowers.

 
With that potential split, we took that question to the mayor…
 
“Do you think that could give you a better chance at a win?” Asked reporter, Catalina Trivino.
 
“I really can’t think about those kind of things. What I have to think about is first, I’ve got to be mayor until the first of November,” Said Mayor Strange.
 
Flowers says he’s heard a fourth candidate could jump into this race. If that’s the case, it could yet again, shift the dynamics of all these campaigns.
 
Those wanting to run can qualify starting July 7.
 

 

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