When is Mayor Tom Richards going to join this campaign? Lovely Warren, City Council president and Richards’ likely opponent in a September primary, is active on Twitter at #lovelyformayor, and Facebook. She’s making appearances and holding events; she has two scheduled for Thursday, one to talk about education and an evening fund raiser at a Central Avenue nightclub.
- FILE PHOTO
- Tom Richards.
Richards got the Democratic endorsement, but right now, Warren’s got the mojo. As far as I can tell, Richards doesn’t even have a complete, properly functioning campaign website up and running.
I get the feeling that Richards isn’t really into campaigning. He didn’t become a politician until a few years ago, having spent most of his career in the private sector. But his campaign team should tell him that the old logic that races don’t heat up until summer winds down is obsolete. Warren is laying track. When the public really starts paying attention, her campaign will be oiled, tuned, and ready to hit its stride. Where will Richards be? Remember, he didn’t win the Democratic endorsement by a giant margin; more than 40 percent of the citywide weighted vote went to Warren.
Of course, Richards is starting off with much more money than Warren, so Warren has to hustle to be competitive. And as the chosen candidate, Richards will have the party machine and its resources behind him.
You can reasonably argue that being mayor every day is, essentially, campaigning; it’s a high-profile job. And Richards has probably been extra busy given that it’s budget season — along with the myriad other tasks and obligations that come with leading the city.
But humbly, Mr. Mayor, I do believe you’re making a mistake. You need to get moving.
This article appears in May 22-28, 2013.
“Lovely Warren, City Council president and Richards’ likely opponent in a September primary, is active on Twitter at #lovelyformayor, and Facebook. “
So what? Anyone who thinks that social media is going to play a significant role in this local campaign is probably one of those who can’t walk into a restaurant without slapping their I-Phone down on the table and playing with it throughout the meal. Or who can’t drive without texting. Or who’s missed the significance of the fact that the root word of “Twitter” is “twit”.
Warren may have the MOjo (whatever the hell that means in the real world), but Richards has the MOney. Let’s see which is the MOre important come Primary Day.
Who cares about either Lovely Warren or Tom Richards? Like I said a couple months ago, Democrats have had 40 years of control in this city. Has it improved? I’m looking elsewhere, and as of now, that’s Alex White.
how about MOmentum?
Lovely Warren is exactly what the City of Rochester needs!
Richards has been doing an exceptional job by most accounts and is viewed quite favorably. He is the incumbent and has the party leadership’s backing. He’s extremely qualified and in my thinking he could easily be the mayor of any city in the country. I just don’t see Warren as being a real factor in the upcoming election. Rochester has plenty experience with bad mayors to avoid moving from a known-good mayor to be working towards a questionable alternative.