OKC Mayor Race 2014

[betts]

I have heard the quote Edgar is talking about from the Mayor several times. People around the country are always extremely curious how he gets a conservative city to vote for urban quality of life projects.

He says he tries sharing economic and quality of life reasons for focusing on the urban core, but when everything else has failed, he tells the naysayers: "We are trying to build a city that your kids and grandkids will choose to live in."

Just about every trend among younger people says that this is not smug rhetoric- it's true.

Saying you're building a city your kids and grand kids will want to live in is VERY different from saying you're solely focusing on downtown. And if one of the candidates weren't trying to make it a downtown versus neighborhoods campaign even the misquote wouldn't sound as bad. Downtown is the heart of any city and city neighborhood development is closely linked with what has been happening downtown. To fail to recognize that fact risks repeating the mistakes of the 60s through 80s.

[Bellaboo]

[QUOTE=Plutonic Panda;698228]You should really either a.. back up what you say b.. just admit you're wrong on this and it isn't true and b.. think before you post in the future so you don't damage your credibility. As with others, I admire you loyalty to Ed, but making things up is very shady my friend.[/QUOTE]

Ed is shady, why would you expect anything less from his kool-aide drinkers ?

[Urban Pioneer]

As with others, I admire you loyalty to Ed, but making things up is very shady my friend.

I don't admire it at all. When this many people, good people, people who were devout Ward 2 Ed Campaign volunteers, are yelling "Caution! Caution! Caution", you have to wonder how they can be so blind.

It is easy to disregard my sentiments due to the streetcar project and the personal nature of Ed's attacks, but how can "these people" ignore everybody else?

[Plutonic Panda]

When you stick with someone this far along, it is admirable, at least to me, unless they are supporting a hidden agenda. . .in which case, I have not studied this enough to know anything about that.

[kevinpate]

Not being a voter in OKC, it's time for me to bow out of this thread. Past time actually. But y'all keep at it. I think folks supporting candidates and shining lights on the opponent, from both directions, ain't nuttin' but good for the process overall.

[Prunepicker]

Hey, I'm not a citizen of OKC, either, but that doesn't mean I can't voice
my concerns. What happens in OKC matters a lot to the surrounding area.
I'll even voice concerns that involves NYC, Chicago or Gotebo.

I want the best for everyone.

[David]

I don't admire it at all. When this many people, good people, people who were devout Ward 2 Ed Campaign volunteers, are yelling "Caution! Caution! Caution", you have to wonder how they can be so blind.

It is easy to disregard my sentiments due to the streetcar project and the personal nature of Ed's attacks, but how can "these people" ignore everybody else?

And this is why I was trying so hard a few pages back to not say anything rude. There is nothing admirable at all about staying loyal to Ed now that he has shown how willing he is to throw innocent strangers under the bus to further his political aims.

[Patrick]

The only reason I'd vote for Ed or anyone else is if Mick hadn't done a good job. He's been an outstanding mayor. Meanwhile, Ed has made an absolute a$$ of himself.

[warreng88]

Good gazette article from a few days ago:

Popularity contest

In the race toward election day, mayoral candidates trumpet their endorsements. But how important are they, really?

Tim Farley
October 22nd, 2013

Oklahoma City mayoral candidates already have received major endorsements from public safety unions and neighborhood groups, but those alliances may not be as significant as years past, according to a group of independent political consultants.

Although voters won’t head to the polls for another four months (the primary is March 4), mayoral candidate and Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid received unanimous backing from the OKC police and fire unions.

None of Oklahoma City’s neighborhood associations have publicly endorsed Mayor Mick Cornett in his re-election bid.

However, more than 700 Oklahoma City residents representing 254 different neighborhoods have declared their support for Cornett as he seeks a fourth term in office, according to Brenda Jones, spokeswoman for the Cornett campaign. Cornett has placed those supporters on a campaign panel called “Mick’s Neighborhood Steering Committee.”

“Endorsements in general mean less and less in the political world,” said Trebor Worthen, senior associate at A.H. Strategies and a former state lawmaker.

“As voters have more and more information from so many different sources, relying on an endorsement means less than it did 10 or 15 years ago. They can read about each candidate’s record and make up their minds independent of any endorsements.”

Endorsements as currency
At the same time, endorsing groups are able to energize their own members and provide critical financial resources for candidates, said Worthen, who works predominantly for Republican candidates and conservative issues.

Meanwhile, Democratic political consultant Joe Hartman believes large labor groups such as police and fire unions provide an established organization and monetary benefits for a candidate’s campaign.

“They bring more weight than an individual who can only give so much money or knock on so many doors,” he said.

Brenda Jones, spokeswoman for the Cornett campaign and owner of Jones Public Relations, contends the mayor’s endorsements from neighborhood groups and more than 700 more individuals provide a powerful statement to voters.

“These are people who said, ‘Yes, put my name on your re-election race,’” she said. “Having the endorsements of neighbors from all over the city makes a big impact.”

Some high-profile names on Cornett’s list include business executives, current and former politicians, former athletes, entertainers and Oklahoma City Council members.

However, Jones downplayed the support OKC police and fire unions have given to Shadid.

“I don’t know how much power there is (with that endorsement) since so many of them don’t live in Oklahoma City. He (Cornett) knew he wouldn’t get their endorsements.”

Neither union endorsed Cornett in his 2006 or 2010 re-election bids, and both times, Cornett won by large margins.

Shadid countered that union support proves his own commitment to communicate and work with local police and firefighters.

“This isn’t just about getting the endorsements. It’s important the public ask why did I get both unanimous endorsements,” the councilman said.

Fraternal Order of Police President John George and International Association of Fire Fighters President Phil Sipe agreed that Shadid has made a commitment to communicate with the departments and provide solutions to their problems.

In the last 13 years as a councilman and mayor, Cornett has rarely made the needs of public safety agencies a top priority, the union chiefs said.

“It’s rare to get a unanimous endorsement,” George said. “It translates into members and their families, the majority who live in Oklahoma City, being supportive of Shadid. We can have an influence on it (the election).”

The FOP has an estimated 1,500 members, including active and retired officers, George said.

Sipe believes each voter will decide if the endorsements are important to them.

“It’s a process that I think is valid on a lot of different levels,” he said. “There are a lot of people who respect police officers and firefighters and what they do.”

The IAFF has a membership of 940 active firefighters.

Nasty comments
Research shows that most voters rely on information provided by news media and individual campaigns, which still feed unflattering comments about the opposing candidate to the public.

“In the political consultant world, every candidate asks, ‘Why go negative?’ and I tell them because it works,” said Hartman. “People wouldn’t do it if it didn’t work.”

Pat McFerron, founder of local CMA Strategies and a GOP consultant, acknowledged candidates still solicit endorsements, but they’re not always needed for victory.

“It does help people synthesize information in smaller bites, but they (endorsements) have never been the end-all,” he said. “It’s no more than 3 percent of eligible voters who say they were swayed by an endorsement.”

However, McFerron labeled Cornett’s neighborhood group endorsements and steering committee members “pretty astounding.”

“It’s a powerful force. They represent the entire city, the left and the right,” he said. “When it comes to Shadid’s endorsements from the unions, I don’t know how that plays. Police and fire departments are respected, but not the unions.”

The political consultants quoted in this story are not connected to the mayoral campaigns.

Oklahoma Gazette News: Mayoral race

[Patrick]

FWIW, Ed Shadid is a recovering alcoholic, and received treatment years ago at Sante Rehab in Dallas. I don't hold it against him, but so many people held the DUI against Skip Kelly when he ran for re-election, so just saying.

[warreng88]

FWIW, Ed Shadid is a recovering alcoholic, and received treatment years ago at Sante Rehab in Dallas. I don't hold it against him, but so many people held the DUI against Skip Kelly when he ran for re-election, so just saying.

Wasn't that because he got a more recent DUI in OKC? Like when he was a councilman?

[Bellaboo]

FWIW, Ed Shadid is a recovering alcoholic, and received treatment years ago at Sante Rehab in Dallas. I don't hold it against him, but so many people held the DUI against Skip Kelly when he ran for re-election, so just saying.

Did not know this - once an alcholic, always an alcholic, recovering or not.

[cagoklahoma]

Union support of any candidate is almost enough in itself to prompt me to vote for their opponent. The relationship between public unions and government officials should be somewhat adversarial. Union leaders only represent their members, and government leaders have the responsibility to be a good steward with the city’s resources. To have a candidate in the proverbial bed with the unions drastically increases the likelihood for a conflict of interest, in which the citizens typically lose out.

Union leaders always want more, although they package it as they only want enough. Unfortunately when it comes to the financial and potential political gain, more is never enough.

As a member of Mayor Cornett’s Steering Committee, I find it refreshing that the union leadership does not support him. I believe their support of Shadid is not because of anything Shadid has done or will do as mayor, but because they don’t get what they want with Cornett. The logical way to proceed is, why not try someone else. You could literally replace Shadid with anyone else, and they too would have the support of the police and fire unions. Well, except for me after this post.

[Edgar]

Who does Cornett rep other than barons and the chamber. Remember when he promised to bring public safety concerns to the council in exchange for their support on maps3. How'd that go.

[jerrywall]

Oklahoma City police get 22 new positions in proposed 2013 city budget | News OK

Construction to start in December on new Oklahoma City police headquarters | News OK

Recruits report to Oklahoma City Police Academy | News OK

Yup, no growth, spending, or improving going on in the public safety areas.

[Bellaboo]

Who does Cornett rep other than barons and the chamber. Remember when he promised to bring public safety concerns to the council in exchange for their support on maps3. How'd that go.

Probably about a million or so that follow the Thunder.....and anything else that improved our quality of life with MAPS associated projects. Without a quality of life for people to want to be here, there would be little need to increase public safety personel or improvements as the population would recede.

[Dubya61]

Who does Cornett rep other than barons and the chamber. Remember when he promised to bring public safety concerns to the council in exchange for their support on maps3. How'd that go.

Why do you say that Mayor Cornett represent's "barons and the chamber?"

[warreng88]

Remember when he promised to bring public safety concerns to the council in exchange for their support on maps3. How'd that go.

Remember when Ed Shadid said "MAPS 3 should be completed as it was promised to voters with maximum transparency, honesty and public deliberation. Needlessly delaying the rail component of MAPS 3 could cost the city $60-$120 million in federal matching funds, reducing the project's connectivity to neighborhoods"? How'd that go?

[Midtowner]

Wasn't that because he got a more recent DUI in OKC? Like when he was a councilman?

It was because he was charged with his second DUI, which if he's convicted, will be a felony.

Checking the docket...

OCIS Case Summary for CF-2012-433- STATE OF OKLAHOMA v. RONALD KELLY (Oklahoma County District Courts)

Seems like some interesting treatment at all. I definitely don't get that many continuances in my criminal cases without someone raising a stink...

[warreng88]

It was because he was charged with his second DUI, which if he's convicted, will be a felony.

Checking the docket...

OCIS Case Summary for CF-2012-433- STATE OF OKLAHOMA v. RONALD KELLY (Oklahoma County District Courts)

Seems like some interesting treatment at all. I definitely don't get that many continuances in my criminal cases without someone raising a stink...

There you go. That was what I was looking for. That MT.

[Jeepnokc]

It was because he was charged with his second DUI, which if he's convicted, will be a felony.

Checking the docket...

OCIS Case Summary for CF-2012-433- STATE OF OKLAHOMA v. RONALD KELLY (Oklahoma County District Courts)

Seems like some interesting treatment at all. I definitely don't get that many continuances in my criminal cases without someone raising a stink...

The issue leading to the continuances was that the law had changed Nov 1, 2011 where prior deferred sentences for DUI could now be used to enhance a 2nd DUI to a felony. Before 11-1-2011, a DUI conviction was required to enhance to a felony. The question then became whether a deferred prior to law change could be used to enhance to a felony. It has taken this long for that question to be answered which the Ct of Criminal Appeals just did this last month ruling that deferreds prior to law change could not be used to enhance. Thus, Kelly's DUI will be reduced to a misdemeanor. Kelly is not unique. I probably have at least 35 felony DUI cases pending that we have been continuing waiting for the appellate court to rule. They will all be reduced to misdemeanors now.

[Midtowner]

Good to know.

Yeah, I agree with the results, too. Deferred means deferred.

[bradh]

Who does Cornett rep other than barons and the chamber. Remember when he promised to bring public safety concerns to the council in exchange for their support on maps3. How'd that go.

"Barons" and the Chamber (for which I'm neither) get stuff done

[Patrick]

Who does Cornett rep other than barons and the chamber. Remember when he promised to bring public safety concerns to the council in exchange for their support on maps3. How'd that go.

Public safety didn't come through supporting MAPS ...so no deal. And the mayor has addressed public safety concerns. Do you realize that a big chunk of our city buget already goes to public safety? And the new budget adds new positions? Maybe what Ed should do is instead of spending millions on his campaign, he should donate it to public safety.

And what's wrong with barons and the chamber? Those are our major employers in this city and they provide jobs.

[OSUFan]

How is Shadid going to increase public safety spending?