UPW NOVEMBER 9 - 15, 2017
Mayor Hardie Davis By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA When the new year arrives, there will be a mere 60 days before qualifying begins for the 2018 General Primary in May. Speculation that Mayor Hardie Davis will have opposition in his first bid for reelection has been fueled by outrage in some parts of town over the mayor’s insistence that the new James Brown Arena complex be built on the site of the former Regency Mall. But unlike the free-for-all in the last mayoral election where there was no incumbent and a ballot that had swollen to five candidates at one point, this year’s race may not be so raucous. In fact, we here at UPW have been trying to put together a list of prospective candidates and so far have not had much luck finding viable opposition to Davis. None of the candidates who ran
Mayor determined to push ahead for new arena site at Regency Mall INTERVIEW by Ken Makin - Page 2
URBAN PRO WEEKLY
Few viable candidates on horizon to challenge Davis in 2018
against Davis in 2014 have stated publicly that they intend to run this time around. One of the unique characteristics of the 2014 race is that it was the first race since the city was established that a white candidate did not stand for office. Former city administrator Fred Russell, who is white, toyed with the idea and sources close to Brad Usry, who is also white, said that he had considered a run in 2014, but both decided against it. If Davis is going to be challenged this year, that opposition will most likely come from a white candidate. That is not to say that Davis enjoys total acceptance and trust from the African-American community, he doesn’t. But, he does appear to have more of it than any other prospect currently on the scene. In our conversations with voters, UPW has heard things suggesting that many in the African-American community who donated money to the Davis campaign in the past,
may sit on the sidelines this campaign season, but there is not an inkling of opposition from any of “the usual suspects.” Usry, along with Westside Commissioner Sean Frampton, and surprisingly, former mayor Deke Copenhaver, have been mentioned as possible challengers to Davis. If any of them are seriously considering running, they had better get going. It remains to be seen if any of them could peel away significant numbers of Davis supporters. Davis had 20,619 votes in 2014. His closest competitor, former commissioner Alvin Mason, could manage only 5,188 votes. The biggest campaign issue back in 2014 was whether or not to support the special-purpose local-option-sales-tax (SPLOST) which was on the 2014 ballot. Davis and candidate Lori Myles supported the SPLOST package. Mason and Cummings did not support the SPLOST package. 2014 mayoral candidate Helen BlockerAdams was against the SPLOST
VOL. 7 NO. 3
Davis easily defeated field in 2014 election
Alvin Mason
Helen Blocker-Adams
Charles Cummings
Lori Myles
package but had withdrawn from the race before election day. The SPLOST package passed. Any challenger to Davis, white or black, would have to steer his (Davis’) white supporters away from him. Some feel that Davis’ promotion of the Regency Mall site for the new James Brown Arena will ultimately erode a significant amount of Davis’ white support. Davis has been soundly drubbed by the area’s white-controlled media and the conventional wisdom suggests that he will be hurt at the polls as a result. Whether or not that proves to be true, Davis is sure to enjoy a boost from those who support the Southside location for the new arena. Thus, on the issue of the James Brown Arena, Davis is as likely to be helped as he is to be hurt. Qualifying for the 2018 General Primary begins on March 5, 2018 and the election will be on May 22, 2018. Along with the mayor’s seat, five commission seats are on the ballot as well.