Campion canters out to start unofficial race
He’s off ! The race for Welland’s mayoralty unofficially started on Monday. That’s how I see it from my seat in the grandstand overlooking the training track.
Mayor Frank Campion got out of the starting gate aboard the 2017 Annual Report, a sure-footed entry that broke fast with Campion riding high. Though the mayor has not announced his candidacy, racing analysts see his performance on the back of the annual report as proof positive that he will be out in full gallop for a second term. It’s given him more horsepower here in the early going.
Political horse race fans may have liked what they read in this daily newspaper’s story Monday about the mayor’s steed and what it says about achievements of the past year. Harnessed to a past performance presentation that is flush with graphics, statistics, photographs and more, they show the city as moving along with great strides in 2017. The message for readers: On Campion’s watch, some good things have been happening. Although critics might say it’s like watching the race workout through rose-coloured binoculars, that is best left for debate.
In that story the mayor said, “I think for years people thought, ‘It’s going to happen, it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.’ They sat by the phone, thinking maybe they’d get that phone call. I come from a very strong marketing background and that’s not how you make money. We’re much more entrepreneurial … we’re taking an entrepreneurial approach to marketing ourselves not only to investors and industry, but to residents in the community.”
I read into this that this mayor is firmly in the saddle, with tight hold on the reins. Rumour has it he will be changing his weekly Monday-morning-walk garb to racing silks, just to put him in the mood for a horse race.
Handicappers see Campion’s bold move along the rail Monday as a shrewd manoeuvre on his part. Letting out word at this early going is bound to impact potential challengers who may be feeling their oats now that spring is here and countdown to a post parade is within their sights. But it’s presumptuous to conclude they might be thinking of uttering “Neigh!” to runs of their own after 2017 Annual Report’s much impressive outing, simply because they are aware any longshot has a chance to win. Going hoarse on the campaign trail is a small price to pay for something you believe in.
Here’s something from the horse’s mouth, so there is more certainty to it than in playing the ponies. This will be upon us soon enough: The nomination period for the municipal election will begin May 1 and end July 27 at 2 p.m., when nomination papers must be filed with the municipal or regional clerk. The municipal election will be held Monday, Oct. 22. Based on political horse races I’ve followed over many years, we can expect election talk by the players to be getting underway in our hometown any time soon. Over in Port Colborne, Mayor John Maloney announced a week or so ago he will not be in the running again.
I know of handicappers here in Welland who see Campion, if he runs again, as prohibitive odds-on favourite to win reelection regardless of who else is in the race. One coffee klatch I sat in on has predicted a small field, three candidates at most, with the challenger or challengers being political “outsiders.” Consider them apprentice riders. Whether it’s good or not, it is their presence that prevents a coronation, an acclamation.
One last prognostication: It’s not expected that a run for the Rose City’s mayoralty will involve a sitting city councillor this time out. But that’s not to assume jockeying for support isn’t going on and the emergence of a political dark horse to make the run for the roses in our hometown a tad more interesting.
Nah.
Wanna bet on it?