Every week, we'll round up the news, speculation and general chatter about the upcoming mayoral election (and whatever else we feel like including). Send tips, thoughts or endorsements to tips@nashvillescene.com. Let's get to it.
Scheduling Conflict
The Tennessee Supreme Court will decide whether the election to finish former Mayor Megan Barry's first term should be held in August or in May. Stephen Elliott reports for our sister publication, the Nashville Post:
The court granted local NAACP President Ludye Wallace’s request that the high court reach down and consider his appeal, skipping the intermediary Court of Appeals. Oral arguments in the case are scheduled April 9.A Davidson County chancellor ruled earlier this month in favor of the Davidson County Election Commission and Metro Government, which said the already-scheduled August election was the appropriate time to elect a mayor for the rest of Barry’s term, which runs until August 2019.
Wallace and his attorneys — Daniel Horwitz and Jamie Hollin — argued that late May or the already-scheduled May 1 ballot were the appropriate places for the mayoral election.
As Elliott notes, a majority of Metro Council members earlier this week urged Metro Law director Jon Cooper to support the request for an expedited hearing on the dispute. Despite that, Metro opposed the move and is arguing for an August election date.
Councilmember Dave Rosenberg, who has argued strongly that the law requires a May election, weighs in on Twitter this morning with a breakdown of potential outcomes in the case:
Important to remember: A May 1 mayoral election means that the transit referendums and mayoral campaigns will effectively be one. Mayor David Briley is the new face of the pro-transit effort and will be running to keep is new office.
Who's in, Who's Out?
Briley is in, and the Business Community has his back. We've known that for a few weeks. But a big development came this week when real estate tycoon Bill Freeman announced that will not run in the upcoming election. We should note it's not clear many people other than Bill Freeman really want Bill Freeman to be mayor: After dumping a lot of cash into the 2015 mayoral race, he failed to make the runoff. But his deep pockets made him one of a few potential candidates who could jump into the race on short notice and make a real run at it. Now he's backing Briley, although he left open the possibility of a 2019 run. (Update: Just after this post was published, Joey Garrison reported that Sheriff Daron Hall will not run for mayor and is backing Briley.)
Meanwhile, speculation still abounds about who else might get in. The deadline to qualify is April 5. Updates on some of the other potential candidates:
Erica Gilmore: The at-large Metro Councilmember, and daughter of state Rep. Brenda Gilmore, has laid the groundwork for a mayoral campaign, appointing a treasurer and pulling papers to qualify as a candidate. But since then she has stayed quiet about her plans. In response to an inquiry from Pith about her status, she says, "No comment at the moment."
Rev. jeff obafemi carr: Carr's profile has risen significantly since he took a gig as a lead spokesperson for the political action committee opposing the transit plan that will be on the ballot May 1. Earlier this month, he pulled qualifying papers for a run for mayor but still hasn't made a final decision. He tells Pith: "It's a major decision, and I'm still weighing it seriously. I remain 100 percent focused on defeating this transit tax referendum on May 1st. I know there is a deadline that comes before that date, so I will have it figured out before then."
David Fox: The businessman, former Metro school board chair and 2015 mayoral runner-up is considered a potential candidate for obvious reasons, but is still staying mum. He hasn't responded to media inquiries, including ours, about his plans.
Roy Dale: The CEO of civil engineering and land planning firm Dale & Associates, and former Metro Council member, ran for an at-large seat in 2003. His campaign sent out a mailer criticizing his opponents for their support for LGBT rights. “David Briley and Adam Dread voted to give 'special rights’ to the gay and lesbian community,” the campaign mailer read. “If you want Nashville to be more like California, say 'hello San Fran Nashville’ and vote for David Briley and Adam Dread.” Dale is reportedly mulling a run for mayor. But Roy Dale is not going to be the mayor of Nashville in May or August or any time. We have not reached out to him about his plans.
Council Carousel
Briley finds himself in an interesting position, having taken over the mayor's office as a result of Barry's resignation. If he wins the next election, he will serve out the remainder of the term as mayor. But if he loses, he will simply return to his position as vice mayor. Pretty good deal.
But if Briley wins, the seat at the head of the council chambers will be open, and Pith has confirmed at least one council member is seriously considering running for it. District 26 representative Jeremy Elrod says he is thinking seriously about a run for vice mayor in 2019, if Briley wins the mayoral election this year. He's also throwing his hat in the ring for president pro tem of the council, as Councilmember Sheri Weiner's term in that position will be up in August of this year. Of his interest in becoming the next vice mayor, Elrod tells Pith: "Nashville needs a strong Metro Council that listens to the community, provides strong oversight of the administration and departments, and is willing to make tough decisions. Vice Mayor Briley showed to help the council do that requires active leadership from a vice mayor that listens, empowers council members, and brings people together. My background and my time on the council is about working with people of different viewpoints, so it’s something I’m looking at and talking with folks about."
Weiner is the acting vice mayor, following Briley's ascent to the mayor's office, but she has not indicated whether she is interested in running for the job next year.
