Support growing for Strickland

City Councilman Shea Flinn hinted at support for his colleague, Councilman Jim Strickland, who is rumored to be considering a run for Memphis mayor.

Flinn was coy in his support for Strickland, but said "he has a lot to offer."

When asked how a candidate could compete with County Mayor A C Wharton, who months ago began fundraising, Flinn said he didn't know how much Wharton had raised.

"I don't think this should be a campaign that's necessarily all about money," Flinn said. "I think, you know, you get any experienced politician, they've raised money before. This is not their first rodeo. We could see some newcomers come in. Again, we don't know what the field is going to look like, but we know what Memphis needs, which is generational change."

As for the rumors that Strickland, a Democrat, is more conservative and leaning toward Republican, Flinn said party politics don't matter at a local level.

"There's no Democratic or Republican way to take out the trash or have the trash picked up."

Momentum for Strickland is already brewing on Facebook where local blogger Tom Guleff has started a "Draft Jim Strickland for Memphis City Mayor" page. The page has 708 members as of today and, according to its founder, it recruited more than 500 members in less than a week.

As Guleff writes on the page: "That's pretty special for a grassroots movement. But, what's more special is the generational change occurring in the leadership of this great city that cannot wait any longer..."

Notice how Guleff and Flinn both used the phrase "generational change." Could it be a new campaign slogan?

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