Wharton takes heat from competition

Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton is already taking heat from other candidates in the presumptive race to replace Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.

Wharton chose not to attend a candidate forum today, telling the forum's organizer that appearing would not be the most strategic move for his campaign.

As to be expected, candidates who did appear were critical of Wharton, including Memphis City School commissioner Kenneth Whalum Jr. Whalum said Wharton is right, "it couldn't have been in his best interest to appear with the rest of us, particularly me."

Whalum says he's a threat to Wharton and often reiterates that he won 83,939 votes in the Memphis city limits during his 2006 school board race. Wharton won more -- slightly more than 116,000 -- in his countywide race for mayor in 2006, but that was out of a larger pool of voters both in and outside of Memphis.

As long as Wharton keeps his distance, Whalum said, the two-term county mayor is able to maintain "the aura of being the mayor, without having to be on equal footing as the other candidates."

But Whalum believes savvy voters will figure out that Wharton has few credentials in terms of being "an inside-the-city force."

Wharton, who spoke with CA reporter Zack McMillin this afternoon, said he expects direct shots at him to "intensify" as the race heats up.

Short of calling Wharton the early front-runner, most observers and other candidates believe he enters the race with notable advantages, including a strong organization, money and name recognition.

Wharton said he will appear at other forums, but ultimately he'll decide which ones are the best for his campaign. Also, he called this forum a little premature because we still don't know all the candidates vying for the city's top spot.