Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton has gained national recognition with a 2000-word cover story in this month’s Governing magazine.
Profiled for his approach toward regionalism and his efforts to consolidate Memphis and Shelby County governments, Wharton, a candidate for Memphis mayor, is portrayed by writer Alan Greenblatt as the county’s unifier.
“The fact remains that a primary source of Wharton’s popularity is his ability to bridge the many divides that define politics in Memphis—between the abject poor and its Fortune 500 companies, between the city and its suburbs, and between black and white,” Greenblatt writes.
“Ask local political scientists why Wharton is favored to become the next mayor, and they’ll readily tell you it’s because he’s an African American who makes white people feel comfortable. Wharton’s efforts at bringing about consensus go deeper than that, however. On any given issue—whether it’s disaster preparedness or looking at ways to build on Memphis’ economic base as a cargo hub—Wharton’s method has been to bring together as many players and competing regional interests as possible.”
Governing is a Washington, D.C.-based publication providing features and analysis of policy and politics for the nation’s state and local leaders.
To read the article, click here.
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