A long-shot campaign in a tough town
March 5, 2017 3:49 PM Subscribe
On Tuesday, citizens of St. Louis go to the polls to choose their first new mayor in sixteen years. Progressive city treasurer Tishaura Jones is running against the outgoing mayor's legacy, the entrenched culture of the city's Board of Aldermen, and a well-funded front runner who once said panhandlers prefer begging to regular employment because it's "more lucrative."
To the surprise of many locals, the race is getting some national attention after a few bold campaign moves from Jones. She didn't seek the (white) police union's endorsement; she elected not to meet with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board (she called them out for racism instead). She was recently endorsed by Democracy for America, MoveOn.org, the SEIU, the Working Families party, and Jason Kander, who is perhaps the most prominent Democrat in the state following his surprisingly close loss to Senator Roy Blunt.
But, in a highly segregated city, with electoral support sharply divided by race, there are four other black candidates—including alderman Antonio French, who made a name for himself during the Ferguson protests of 2014, and president of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed. There has been significant debate about the idea that one or more candidates should drop out and consolidate the votes of black and progressive St. Louisans. Days from the election, that seems unlikely to happen (particularly after French secured the Post-Dispatch's endorsement), and one of the most strongly Democratic cities in the nation appears ready to elect a staunch ally of police and developers who hails from one of the city's wealthiest wards.
To the surprise of many locals, the race is getting some national attention after a few bold campaign moves from Jones. She didn't seek the (white) police union's endorsement; she elected not to meet with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board (she called them out for racism instead). She was recently endorsed by Democracy for America, MoveOn.org, the SEIU, the Working Families party, and Jason Kander, who is perhaps the most prominent Democrat in the state following his surprisingly close loss to Senator Roy Blunt.
But, in a highly segregated city, with electoral support sharply divided by race, there are four other black candidates—including alderman Antonio French, who made a name for himself during the Ferguson protests of 2014, and president of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed. There has been significant debate about the idea that one or more candidates should drop out and consolidate the votes of black and progressive St. Louisans. Days from the election, that seems unlikely to happen (particularly after French secured the Post-Dispatch's endorsement), and one of the most strongly Democratic cities in the nation appears ready to elect a staunch ally of police and developers who hails from one of the city's wealthiest wards.
Krewson is funded by Rex Sinquefield, whose oligarchal bonafides are well-proven.
Jones has a good set of policy positions, but she seems to have no political savvy.
French is my man. (pretty sure he was the first person I followed on Twitter, when he was tweeting from the Ferguson protests.)
posted by notsnot at 4:56 PM on March 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
Jones has a good set of policy positions, but she seems to have no political savvy.
French is my man. (pretty sure he was the first person I followed on Twitter, when he was tweeting from the Ferguson protests.)
posted by notsnot at 4:56 PM on March 5, 2017 [2 favorites]
Damn it, it looks like French and Jones will split the progressive/left vote and Krewson will win. I'd wish that we'd have one of them in Cleveland, our mayoral election is in October (primaries, top 2 regardless of party) and the general in November and so far the list is somewhat uninspiring.
posted by fizzix at 5:18 PM on March 5, 2017
notsnot, I like some things about French but his record on the BoA is not the most progressive. He voted for the NFL stadium deal (for non-locals, the Rams were pretty clearly keen to leave, but our city government spent millions on plans to keep them here & approved a sweetheart deal for construction of their hypothetical new stadium) and against the minimum wage bill. He has been an effective advocate on policing issues, but he doesn't seem to share the core values of economic progressives.
posted by roast beef at 5:22 PM on March 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by roast beef at 5:22 PM on March 5, 2017 [5 favorites]
It's so frustrating to have the left vote split and lose a winnable race.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:11 PM on March 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Chrysostom at 7:11 PM on March 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
skipped out on canvassing for Jones today to ride bikes with friends and man why you gotta make me feel bad about my life choices
posted by suckerpunch at 7:59 PM on March 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by suckerpunch at 7:59 PM on March 5, 2017 [4 favorites]
It's so frustrating to have the left vote split and lose a winnable race.
Damn it, it looks like French and Jones will split the progressive/left vote and Krewson will win.
Everyone, I know it is easy to jump to doom and gloom these days, but there are party primaries.
Ballotpedia link, Municipal elections in St. Louis, Missouri (2017)
posted by JauntyFedora at 9:34 PM on March 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Damn it, it looks like French and Jones will split the progressive/left vote and Krewson will win.
Everyone, I know it is easy to jump to doom and gloom these days, but there are party primaries.
Ballotpedia link, Municipal elections in St. Louis, Missouri (2017)
posted by JauntyFedora at 9:34 PM on March 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ahh. This is definitely a major topic of discussion on Facebook among people I know who live within city limits.
posted by limeonaire at 9:52 PM on March 5, 2017
posted by limeonaire at 9:52 PM on March 5, 2017
JauntyFedora, STL city is all but guaranteed to elect a Democrat for mayor. So, the primary pretty much *is* the election.
posted by notsnot at 5:58 AM on March 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by notsnot at 5:58 AM on March 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
I'm Team French but I'm considering giving my vote for Jones because she is our most likely Not Lyda primary winner.
posted by fluttering hellfire at 1:59 PM on March 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by fluttering hellfire at 1:59 PM on March 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
this photo from a Krewson gathering reminds me of those photos of all the GOP interns from a few months back
posted by invitapriore at 8:39 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by invitapriore at 8:39 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
I ended up voting with my head instead of my heart and went with Jones. I was very happy with her result but I can't help but be irritated that the P-D spite endorsed French and if you look at the results, if the turnout for French and Boyd would have gone for her, she would have beat Krewson.
Ugh, welcome to Slay's 5th term everyone.
posted by fluttering hellfire at 2:03 PM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Ugh, welcome to Slay's 5th term everyone.
posted by fluttering hellfire at 2:03 PM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
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