Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton says he's "troubled" by the growing field of candidates who could split the vote in the race for Memphis Mayor.
And though Wharton said he would not start asking people to get out of the race, he would welcome the opportunity to sit down with fellow candidates and make a decision "that's in the best interest of the city."
"Without regard to race, gender, ethnicity or anything, I am troubled by the large number of candidates," Wharton said. "Memphis is a major city; it would be preferable to elect the next mayor in a manner that shows he or she has a mandate to lead and that he or she was not chosen by way of a fluke."
As the special election to replace Mayor Willie Herenton becomes more real - Herenton is expected to step down in two weeks - candidates are thinking about what a crowded field could mean in a city election with no runoffs.
First-term City Councilman Jim Strickland, who is still undecided about whether to launch a campaign, told reporter Zack McMillin that he hasn't received pressure not to run. But conversations with other candidates or potential candidates can have an "odd" feel to them.
"A lot of times when you have conversations with candidates, and I'm not saying conversations I've had were exactly like this, but a lot of times one candidate wants the other candidate to get out of the race," Strickland said. "It's a very odd conversation and I'm not sure it's a very productive conversation. It is the right thing to do and the polite thing to do to listen to another's viewpoint."
Strickland said he has talked to Carol Chumney, a declared candidate, "once or twice," and last Monday he and Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton -- also declared as a candidate -- had a brief conversation where they agreed to meet at a later date. He's also reached out to prospective candidate and former Councilman Edmund Ford Sr.
Wharton said he would like to sit down and talk to Strickland, but he made it clear he does not intend to discuss "some clandestine strategy of how would he squeeze somebody out," Wharton said. "We would sit down and discuss the best plans or visions for the city.
Meanwhile, Councilman Kemp Conrad, also a prospective candidate, would not tell reporter Amos Maki whether he had been approached by Wharton campaign volunteer, Bobby Lanier. But Conrad said it would not affect his decision.
"Calls from a surrogate of any campaign doesn't mean a hill of beans and it won't change my mind in the slightest," Conrad said.
Lanier, a longtime Wharton ally and former county employee who was forced to retire in 2004 following a pension scandal, later told Maki that he just called Conrad to ask what he was going to do. "I never asked him to get out," Lanier said.
Let me fix the headline:
"Wharton says he's "troubled" by crowded field of mayoral candidates running against him"
If he's scared, he should stay @ home !!!!!
And, I'm troubled by the number of ignorant dumb a$$es that live in Memphis. By the way AC, why don't you get out so the field can be culled. You AC, are worried about competition. I'm worried about the every increasing number of self serving goons who seem to proliferate over night like rabbits and are only interested in enriching themselves.
Does this mean that Strickland is the one to beat? Folks have polling data, and they can see the writing on the wall. Let's be honest, Strickland is the fresh face. I support Jim, but I never thought in a million years that AC would be worried enough to talk to Jim about a potential exit. Is this a smoke screen or a cry for help? I don't know.
Since when is a plurality a fluke, AC?
Bobby, it's over time for you to go to the house.
wow.
aside from the fact that mayor herenton STILL hasn't turned in his letter,
and aside from the fact that the charter really isn't clear at ALL about whether a "mayor pro tem" is truly "qualified" to ACT as mayor,
and aside from the fact that a justiciable issue exists relative to that very point, and will probably lead to a "clarifying" lawsuit,
and aside from the fact that the commercial appeal is - apparently - reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally anxious for our county mayor to become our city mayor,
perhaps we should ALL drop out of the non-race and help him move across main street...
whenEVER a mayor's race materializes it will clearly be the most critically important election in the history of this city. i'm wondering if/when the status quo maintainers are going to realize that we're about to lose another generation?
Thank you.
DR. KENNETH TWIGG WHALUM, JR.
Mayor Wharton is not backing away from this stance. Just got this on twitter from Action News 5's Kontji Anthony:
@kontjianthony: Wharton extra feisty today in his bid for city mayor. Told me unqualified person could win by fluke with so many in race.
Who is AC to determine the qualifications of candidates and whether they should run?!?!? As someone in my thirties with a college degree and masters, I moved back to Memphis from New Orleans hoping to see it one day reach the potential growth I have witnessed in other cities. So far, after listening to Charles Carpenter, he is the only candidate I have heard that sounds sane enough, and with the background to lead to growth, but I think most will try hard to paint him as another Herenton, when it is clear that AC is just as egotistical and more of the same as the current mayor. I think this election will be the deciding factor as to whether Memphis will remain my home, and where I want to raise my children. I believe an administration with Whalum, Wharton, Chumney,or Lowery will lead to a great exodus of the college educated 25-35 year olds who are looking for a growing city to reside. Strickland, Conrad, and Carpenter seem to be the new faces to watch for.