Herenton to run for mayor of Memphis
He served 1992 to 2009, wants to do it again
Willie Herenton, Memphis’ first black mayor, serving from 1992 to 2009, announced Thursday he challenge incumbent mayor Jim Strickland in the 2019 election.
Herenton, 77, who made the announcement at LeMoyne-Owen College, said he would go with an oldschool “theme” for the campaign: “Let’s do it again.”
“Let me tell y’all about 2019,” he said. “Here’s the theme: ‘Let’s do it again.’”
Strickland, who defeated incumbent mayor A C Wharton in 2015, has recently raised funds for another campaign and has privately talked about running for a second term — but has yet to make an official announcement he’ll seek reelection.
“We don’t have anything to say other than that we’re proud of our record in these first two years,” said Ursula Madden, a city spokeswoman who is not on his campaign staff.
At LeMoyne-Owen, Herenton talked about “an unfinished agenda,” adding that he was “not speaking disparagingly of the present leadership.”
“I’m simply saying, where we are today in time and space and the plight of
the young people is going to require a very different kind of leadership with wisdom, with a fervor, with a passion and the ability to get a collaboration,” he said.
His announcement comes a day after MLK50, the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s murder, and caught many long-time local politicos flatfooted.
After a week of speeches and events, Herenton said he’s ready for action.
“Where are the people, where are the plans to really move us closer to realizing the aspirations of Dr. King? I want to be a part of the action plan,” he said. “I want to be a part of the solution. I want to address some of the poverty issues we have here. I want to do more than talk about it.”
Before Herenton’s announcement, Local 24 political commentator and analyst and Commercial Appeal columnist Otis Sanford said he would have said Strickland is on “solid ground with most Memphians for another term.”
But now? Herenton is one of the most popular mayors in city history, especially in the black community, and that has to be taken into account, Sanford said.
“I think you have to take Dr. Herenton as a serious candidate,” Sanford said.
Herenton has floated the idea of a political comeback since at least last year, when he said he had “lost faith” in local politics.
His last campaign was against U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, who won re-election in 2010 after defeating Herenton by a wide margin in the Democratic primary.
After floating the idea of resigning in 2008, Herenton officially resigned as mayor in 2009 amidst a federal grand jury probe into a real estate deal involving the mayor. The probe never resulted in any formal action against him.
His resignation triggered a special election — which he then considered entering in a bid to replace himself as mayor. He ultimately decided against it, clearing the way for Wharton to succeed interim mayor Myron Lowery in 2009.
Despite the gyrations of his political ambitions, even long-time supporters were caught off guard by Thursday’s news.
Charles Carpenter, a Memphis attorney who ran three of Herenton’s campaigns and had hoped to succeed him as mayor, laughed when he heard Herenton is running again, saying it came as a complete surprise to him.
Carpenter said he doesn’t plan on getting involved in any campaigns in 2019.
Lexie Carter, a longtime officer in the Shelby County Democratic Party, was also surprised by the news. Carter said voters may prefer a new candidate in that position — perhaps, for the first time, a woman.
“I think he might have his work cut out for him,” she said of Herenton’s chances.
The response on social media was swift — and mostly negative. A few choice reactions on Twitter:
Reach Ryan Poe at poe@commercialappeal. com or on Twitter at @ryanpoe.