Whatever else may be said of this year’s Columbus mayoral election, for the first time in memory, there is a perception among many citizens that the race is a matter of Black and white.
Last summer sometimes feels like a lifetime ago.
Then, Black and white residents came together in common cause to protest racism that manifested itself in the rhetoric of Harry Sanders. Reaction among both Black and white residents was swift, vocal and unequivocal. It may have been the most unifying moment in our city’s history.
Was it a sign of restoration and unity? Or was it merely a moment in time, a temporary healing, a passing phase?
Fair-minded citizens, both Black and white, must ask themselves, “How did we get to this point in so short a time?” and “Who is responsible?”
The two leading candidates in the mayor’s race feature a Black incumbent against a white challenger. The race should be about more than that.
Mayor Robert Smith, now seeking a fourth full term, is perceived to be vulnerable for the first time in his political career amid questions about his health and his handling of city finances, a concern magnified by the arrest and conviction of the city’s former CFO, Milton Rawle, for embezzlement.
Keith Gaskin, a political newcomer, is viewed as an opportunity to change course.
To a great extent, the race is a referendum on Robert Smith’s record, and if the decision were based on that criteria alone, we would expect to see Black and white voters gravitating to both camps.
Instead, we fear this race will be decided along racial lines to the benefit of no one.
In determining how this atmosphere emerged, we cannot avoid the influence of A Better Columbus (ABC). Rising to prominence in the fall under the leadership of Will Sanders and his wife, Leslie Sorrell, the group has inflamed passions in a way we have not previously seen in municipal elections in Columbus.
Sorrell, a former Republican political consultant in Texas, has been particularly outspoken in publicly attacking the mayor and current city council’s record.
That’s fair game. You don’t have to be A Better Columbus member to raise those questions.
But ABC has gone beyond attacks on incumbents’ records to make it personal.
Without detracting from the valid broader concerns they have raised, Sanders and Sorrell have continued to make accusations against Smith and other city leadership which have ranged from out of context to unsubstantiated. It is a poisonous strategy that divides and weakens our community. The ends do not justify the means, although ABC leadership clearly believes they do.
The mayor’s reaction, while understandable on a personal level, is beneath the office he holds and hopes to retain.
Unlike previous campaigns, Smith has limited his campaign appearances to those in the Black community and views the criticism as attacks on his personal integrity and attacks on his race rather than his record. When a Black person is subjected to personal attack, it is not easy to disassociate those attacks with the racism that has forever —and rightfully — been a part of the Black narrative.
Fair or unfair, the idea that ABC is trying to restore “white rule” is an emerging theme in Smith’s camp and through much of the community.
Strategically, that may prove to be effective. With a city that is 60 percent Black, the mayor might be able to win the race with the Black vote alone.
That, too, is beyond unfortunate. The mayor has had the support of many, if not most, white voters in previous elections. That he would abandon efforts to attract white voters may be strategically effective, but disappointing.
This is not an endorsement for Gaskin, but, for his part, he seems to be making some effort to distance himself from ABC, and his campaign has made efforts to appeal across racial lines.
We had hoped the mayor would rise above the mean-spirited nature of the election that ABC has done so much to create and make a broad appeal to all Columbus voters.
Yet in this race, as it is in physics, for every action there has been an equal and opposite reaction.
We have a sinking feeling that in a few months time, when Sanders and Sorrell have boogied on back to their home and business in Belize, those of us who remain will be left to deal with the carnage that will undoubtedly remain after the June 8 election.
Unless the tone and conduct of this campaign changes dramatically and swiftly, the election will divide rather than unify Columbus.
The people who really love our city, both Black and white alike, will be losers regardless of who is chosen mayor.
It’s an aching thought for those of us who still remember last summer.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.