Atchison’s legacy at risk if bid for office fails

Until Don Atchison decides to either confirm or deny he’s planning a run at returning to the mayor’s office, Saskatoon’s longest-serving mayor will dominate speculation.

A defeated mayor reclaiming his title last happened in Saskatoon 71 years ago.

The most recent example of such an attempt is far from encouraging. Former mayor Jim Maddin finished an embarrassing third with less than 10 per cent of the vote in his 2006 rematch against Atchison.

Back when mayors were elected to one-year terms, John Sproule Mills returned to office in 1949 following a 1934 defeat — but only after three failed campaigns.

Mills proceeded to win five straight oneyear terms to add to his previous two to set an enduring record for Saskatoon mayoral election victories with seven. Mills ran 18 times for mayor, losing 11, setting two more enduring records.

Prior to that, Alexander Macgillivray Young ran in eight straight mayoral elections, winning five one-year terms, returning to office in 1920 after getting the boot in 1918.

As for Atchison, who turns 68 in a week, his repeated refusal to rule out a campaign means he’s probably considering it, although some think he definitely plans to run.

Atchison’s bid to win an unprecedented fifth straight term was thwarted in 2016 by current Mayor Charlie Clark, who won city hall’s top job after 10 years as a city councillor.

Clark won nearly 41 per cent of the vote, compared to nearly 37 per cent for Atchison and nearly 22 per cent for political newcomer Kelley Moore.

After Atchison’s election in 2003, when he attracted about 30 per cent of the vote in a four-way race for mayor, his share of the vote dropped in each re-election attempt after a high of nearly 64 per cent in 2006.

In 2012, political unknown Tom Wolf came close to beating Atchison with about 47 per cent of the vote in a two-way race. Many would have taken that showing as a clear message to retire.

Compare that to Pat Fiacco in Regina, whose four straight mayoral terms overlapped with Atchison. Fiacco beat a four-term incumbent in 2000 to claim the mayor’s chair with just over 52 per cent of the vote.

Fiacco was then acclaimed once and garnered more than 80 per cent of the vote in his two other re-election bids.

Atchison must think he can beat Clark in November to be considering a campaign. There’s undeniably some strong sentiment against the current council’s agenda.

Former Saskatchewan Party cabinet minister Rob Norris has suggested he will run for mayor to capitalize on that sentiment. But Norris has yet to make a formal announcement, after saying he would do so last year.

In a three-way race against Clark and Norris, Atchison could well finish third and split the vote enough to help Clark to a second term. Clark has yet to declare his intentions, but it would be a surprise if he declined to run for re-election.

Perhaps Atchison and Norris are engaged in a Mexican standoff with neither wanting a threeway race.

And Atchison must realize he will be compelled to answer tough questions about his refusal to attend Pride parades during his 13 years in office.

Society has become far less tolerant of those who spurn such events than when he last occupied the mayor’s office. Just ask federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer.

Atchison has spent the last four years working in the private sector on the World Trade Center in downtown Saskatoon.

That project was supposed to be completed last year, but has yet to break ground while other, more ambitious downtown office projects proceed. He can expect questions about that, too.

How Atchison plans to campaign remains a mystery, but his once preferred method of standing on the street next to a sign and waving at passing vehicles has long been outlawed.

Will he scold Saskatoon residents for spurning him? Will he attack the current council’s record? Will he offer up a new vision or a return to the good old days?

It will be fascinating to watch, mostly because Atchison must know his legacy could be tarnished.