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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > September > 04 > Entry
Martin Gottlieb: Can Leitzell pull off a Turner
2009 ELECTION
It’s a little known fact, but true: Dayton is having an election in November. So we are officially in the election season.
Mayor Rhine McLin is being challenged by Southeast Priority Board Chairman Gary Leitzell.
So the question arises: can a first-time candidate — known in certain circles, but lacking a public reputation — who is endorsed by the Republican Party beat an incumbent Democratic mayor in a hugely Democratic city at a time when there’s a lot of public dissatisfaction with the state of things?
The first part of the answer is, of course, Mike Turner. He came out of political no place to do it in 1993. He beat Mayor Richard Clay Dixon.
One difference presents itself immediately, however:
In 1993, a whole slew of people ran for mayor, meaning they actually gathered enough signatures to get on the ballot. When that happens, the city holds a “primary.” The word appears in quotes here, because this kind of primary isn’t about picking a nominee for a party. Party labels don’t appear on ballots in city elections.
Everybody runs against everybody, and the top two finishers meet in November. Well, in ’93, Turner came in second in the spring primary to Dixon. This won him not only name recognition but — more important — a certain credibility. He was no longer just a guy who decided to run for mayor.
A lot of attention focused on him. Having rare abilities, he came to be widely seen as ready for the job. That’s a crucial, tough hurdle for a first-time candidate. Most can’t cross it.
Meanwhile, he didn’t take any positions that detracted from his desire to be seen as a “moderate.” And Dixon ran into embarrassments during the campaign.
Turner’s victory was a big upset. At the beginning of the year, the Montgomery County Republican Party refused to put up a candidate, saying Dayton had become too Democratic. Turner put up himself, and the Republicans endorsed him.
(That’s what happened in Leitzell’s case, too. However, Leitzell, unlike Turner, is calling himself an Independent.)
One cannot honestly discuss Turner’s victory without mentioning race. He did not make a racial appeal, but he won almost exclusively on the basis of white votes, including some liberals.
That would be harder today. The city now has a larger proportion of non-white voters, and Turner just barely won in 1993 (and finally lost to McLin in 2001).
So Leitzell has less time, tougher demographics and apparently limited money. (At the last deadline for filing his financial report, he had raised so little he didn’t have to report the amount.)
But he does have an unprecedented political situation. The city gets hit by wave after wave of bad news, while under the complete political control of one party. (Party labels don’t appear on the ballot, but they do appear on foreheads.)
Meanwhile, the same party is on the defensive in Columbus and Washington, as the bad news extends across the country.
Make no mistake: the national scene matters. When Turner won in 1993, Republicans also took several other mayoral spots they never take (Los Angeles, New York, Jersey City). That presaged the Democratic debacle of 1994.
Leitzell couldn’t have picked a better time to run.
Whether he’s a good candidate has yet to emerge. As to the issues, he sometimes seems to have the perspective of a community activist, complaining about the city’s unresponsiveness to citizens and businesses. But that sounds like what challengers always say.
The fact that McLin has a challenger who’s been involved in some of the issues of city life is a good thing.
To the degree the Republicans get involved as a party, that’s a good thing, too — if they think they have a qualified candidate.
Notwithstanding the shortage of Republican voters in Dayton, the endorsement of a political party adds a certain credibility to a candidate. And advice to the candidate from people who’ve been around the political track can be useful.
Neither sitting on the sidelines nor supporting a bad candidate is going to help the Republicans live down their reputation for aloofness to inner-city problems. The scene is set for a real election. Now it’s up to the players.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: City of Dayton, Columns, Martin Gottlieb, Miami Valley Politics
Comments
By David Esrati
September 4, 2009 11:01 AM | Link to this
As one of the 6 in the Turner/Dixon primary- I can tell you the level of scrutiny at the BOE was different then. Endorsements aren’t meaningful unless they bring dirty money, workers or access to the all critical data it takes to run a campaign. Although I wouldn’t accept the R endorsement if tendered- it does make things easier for Gary. Why the focus on the Mayors seat- it’s one vote of 5? What are the qualifications needed? Matt Joseph and Nan Whaley had zero- except being Dem Party faithful. Rhine was a mortician. The real question becomes, Rhine or Gary as one vote of 5 and who the 5 will be. It’s time for a clean honest candidate who won’t take $10K checks from a demolition contractor like our Mayor did.By Good post
September 4, 2009 11:55 AM | Link to this
I agree!By Good post
September 4, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this
I agree!By Mari
September 4, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein If people are sincerely tired of the direction this once great City is heading and REALLY want change, please get out and vote for Gary Leitzell.By David Esrati
September 4, 2009 2:09 PM | Link to this
For a full response and analysis of this opinion piece by Martin Gottlieb, head over to this post: http://esrati.com/?p=3051 Martin says you have to be black, endorsed and sell out to special interests to win. What a great analysis.By primary system
September 4, 2009 9:29 PM | Link to this
How is that ‘primary’ system good, doesn’t it help keep the democrats in complete control of Dayton.By Gary Leitzell
September 5, 2009 1:32 AM | Link to this
You can read about my campaign at www.GoGaryGo.netBy joe
September 5, 2009 8:13 AM | Link to this
When Turner won it was won on the almost exclusive basis of the white vote. there is not a problem with Mccln being elected by the black voters? Yes, you can be black and a rasistBy GemCity
September 17, 2009 4:07 PM | Link to this
Dayton is Dying and if the people of Dayton keeps electing the same leadership it WILL die! We need a leader who won’t sell out the city for money or for her convenience! GOGARYGO!