The race to succeed Mayor Alan Autry may not be all that visible during the 100-degree days of this Fresno summer, but there's a lot going on right now in the campaigns of Henry T. Perea. I examine the mayoral race in this commentary that was published in today's Bee.
Here's part of the column:
One of the things the candidates must target in the fall campaign is the new set of voters who will be casting ballots this time around. The November turnout could double the number of voters who cast ballots in June's mayoral primary. That means the 31.2% turnout in Fresno two months ago could jump to more than 60% because of the excitement of the presidential election.
On Saturday, we learned that Swearengin has raised more money in recent filings than Perea. But you can be sure that both candidates will be well funded -- either by direct contributions or from independent expenditures by entities "out of control" of the candidates.
Here's the finance details from The Bee's Political Notebook:
The reports cover the period from May 18 through June 30. Overall, Swearengin, longtime director of the Regional Jobs Initiative, reported raising $72,227.80 and Perea, a current City Council member, reported $23,582. Since the June 3 election, the gap was wider -- $48,800 for Swearengin and $9,100 for Perea, who finished ahead by 216 votes out of 56,776 cast in a field of 11 candidates.Heading into the fall campaign season, Swearengin had $75,787.66 in her treasury as of June 30, compared to $31,087 for Perea.
Insider, outsider, buckets of cash, all of which makes the head spin.
If all politics is 'local' let's keep on mark. MOI has asked both Perea and Swearengin to come down onto Calaveras and visit the road and the neighborhood. Neither as offered to do that. Gobsmacked that Swearengin has not made an effort, MOI being a ribid Republican and all.
Mind, never got brochures from the last contest and probably will not this time either.
Drug dealers selling 'poison', gangs, crime, urban blight, homeless, slumlords, folks with mental illness, Calaveras and the neighborhood is a metaphour for what ails Fresno, sort of a one stop visit to see up close and in person what needs to be corrected.
MOI doubts that either person running for mayor is truly aware of the proplems faced.
Shame to waste all of the cash to sell a false promise to the citizens of Fresno.
Yes Rob it is sad that all that money would be given for people to make false promises when it could go to something usefull like stopping all the crime, drugs and gangs throughout the community. I can not be convinced that the money doesn't come from special interest groups. You scratch my back Ill scratch your mentality.
What the heck is MOI?
And this isn't all the much money for a mayoral race in the 35th largest city in the country.