UPFRONT Photo by stu_spivack/FlickrCC
HERE ARE YOUR SEVEN OFFICIAL CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR OF CLEVELAND
WITH THE FILING DEADLINE now in the rearview, seven candidates for Cleveland mayor remain. The six men and one woman below managed to gather at least 3,000 signatures and will appear on the Sept. 14 primary ballot. (Another candidate, Landry Simmons, submitted his signatures but failed to reach the 3,000 threshold and voluntarily withdrew Monday.) Only two will advance to the November general election. And only one will succeed Mayor Frank Jackson, the city’s longest-serving mayor of all time. You’ve heard many of their names before, but here is a refresher now that the field has firmed up: JUSTIN BIBB - 34-year-old nonprofit executive, Mt. Pleasant born and raised, touts both his lived and professional experience and represents perhaps the furthest tonal departure from Frank Jackson. Big on innovation, but stresses need for basic competency in city’s administrative duties. As first-time candidate, the knock on him tends to be his lack of political experience. Campaign slogan,
“Cleveland can’t wait,” communicates need for urgency after lethargy of Jackson. Alum of KeyBank and nonprofit Urbanova. Corporate vibes. Extremely popular among educated millennials and zoomers.
folks and youth. Alliances, business practices and temperament have made him divisive figure in Ward 7, (constituents either adore or despise him), and initial campaign finance irregularities might betoken trouble.
ROSS DIBELLO - Passionate, if soft-spoken, attorney from West Park. Campaign activity has been highly concentrated on far west side. Ideologically progressive. Champion of procedural reforms to enhance “people power” at City Hall. Undeniable long shot, but has committed team of young, motivated volunteers. Campaign talking points center on issues of democracy building and scourge of money in politics. Extensive legal background, clear understanding of failings of criminal justice system, able to connect dots between those failings and Cleveland’s crushing poverty.
KEVIN KELLEY – Current city council president. Old Brooklyn resident. Former social worker yanked to dark side by forces unknown. Backed by building and construction trades and corporate donors. Enormous campaign war chest. Of counsel at Porter Wright. Regarded with supreme distaste by many for his leading role in the antidemocratic actions of city council during his tenure. Has demonstrated repeatedly that he’ll work harder for guys like Len Komoroski and Scott Wolstein than any resident of Cleveland.
BASHEER JONES - Ward 7 Councilman. Race’s premier orator. Can fire up a crowd with ease. In lone council term — he narrowly defeated TJ Dow in 2017 — was unafraid to stake out lonely positions. Tireless advocate for Black
DENNIS KUCINICH - Former mayor, congressman, two-time presidential candidate. Disparaged as lefty kook, but launched campaign with public safety platform that included hiring 400 new police officers. Savvy (i.e. opportunistic) campaigner and charismatic debater.
Lost Ohio gubernatorial primary in 2018 to Richard Cordray. Reviled for paid gig at Fox News and defense of Syria’s Bashar Al-Assad. Idiosyncratic ideology that defies traditional political spectrum. Public safety platform also includes new city division of peace, for example. Ardent environmentalist. Would be Cleveland’s oldest mayor of all-time. Campaign coincides with publication of Muny Light memoir. ZACK REED - Former Mt. Pleasant councilman and 2017 mayoral candidate. Lost in landslide to Frank Jackson. Terrific slogan in 2017: “Nothing stops a bullet like a job.” Has failed to distinguish himself this time around but remains proponent of government transparency and openness at City Hall. Most recently employed as minority outreach guy for Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Strong base on city’s southeast side. Tremendous wardrobe. SANDRA WILLIAMS - Veteran legislator and only woman in the race. Would be Cleveland’s first Black | clevescene.com | June 30-July 13, 2021
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