Getting the votes from council

One thing often lost during a political campaign for an executive office is whether a candidate has the skills to pry votes from legislators, because it does not matter if a mayor or president or governor has great ideas if that person cannot muster the votes.

Members of the City Council will tell you every vote they make contains different variables and predicting how a given vote will turn out is never easy. Nonetheless, patterns do emerge, and with Myron Lowery going back to City Council, we again have a 13-member council.

Meaning that A C Wharton, the new mayor, will need to find seven reliable votes to pass items that advance his agenda (or block items that he believes would obstruct it).

His strong praise of Lowery at Monday’s swearing-in went beyond gracious protocol, with Wharton even going on about Lowery’s family. It was notable that he praised Lowery’s leadership and campaigning style while being completely silent about the man whose term he is actually completing — former city mayor Willie Herenton. Lowery likes to promote himself as being independent in voting, but even before Wharton’s praise, Lowery was saying he respected the mandate people delivered to Wharton in the special election and often pointed out on the campaign trail that he and Wharton agreed on most issues.

So it would appear that Wharton should be able to count Lowery as an ally when items come up for vote.

Wharton also made sure to mention current Council Chairman Harold Collins, who he explained had a previously scheduled trip and was unable to make it. It seems clear he will work to gain Collins’s confidence, too.

Council budget hawk Jim Strickland declined to run in the special election and eventually agreed to co-chair Wharton’s campaign. And last week, when Strickland was named to the Metro government charter commission, Wharton added Edmund Ford Jr. to his transition team. On Monday, the often media-shy Ford was eagerly providing quotes about how much he looks forward to working with Wharton and believes the new mayor will cultivate a new era of cooperation at City Hall.

Other council members have indicated they respect Wharton’s popularity with voters, too. Shea Flinn gave us a quote in Sunday’s paper indicating as much.

So while no vote is guaranteed, it appears that Wharton begins with a foundation of support on Council.