Malone is best Democrat for county mayor

Three well-known Memphians are vying in the May 6 Democratic primary for a chance to unseat Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell — who has token opposition in the Republican primary — in the county general election on Aug. 7.

Former Shelby County commissioner and business owner Deidre Malone, county Commissioner and law professor Steve Mulroy and former legacy Memphis City Schools and unified Shelby County Schools board member and pastor Kenneth T. Whalum Jr. all have qualities that make them viable candidates to lead county government.

But, in the big picture, we believe DEIDRE MALONE has the best combination of temperament, experience and consensus-building skills necessary to be the county’s top executive.

That is not to say that Mulroy, a tenured law professor at the University of Memphis, and Whalum, pastor of The New Olivet Baptist Church, are without attributes.

Because of term-limit requirements, Mulroy will leave the County Commission this summer after serving two consecutive terms. He has conducted himself in a statesmanlike manner, even when he fervently disagrees with other commissioners on some issues.

He said he has worked to find compromise and consensus, while advocating for, among other things, a prevailing wage, equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, the homeless, ethics in government and historic preservation.

Whalum has been a strong advocate for schools, especially neighborhood schools, which he said are crucial elements in efforts to keep inner-city neighborhoods vital. He also has worked to bring economic development opportunities to those neighborhoods and has worked to reduce youth violence.

The best candidate for a mayoral seat, though, is one with a broader foundation of experience. Malone has that. She is a wife and mother. She is a small-business owner, serving as the president and chief executive officer of the Carter/Malone Group, a marketing firm.

She spent two terms on the County Commission from 2002 to 2010, where she served as the commission’s chairwoman and chairwoman of the Budget Committee. She was a voice of reason on many heated issues. She is a member of the Memphis/Shelby County Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) board, the body that considers tax breaks and business incentives to spur economic development. She also serves on the Memphis-Shelby County Port Authority.

That background gives her broad experience and insight into the problems that negatively impact the community — poverty, low educational attainment, low-paying jobs and crime — and the insight on how to best use the community’s assets to solve those problems. We also believe Malone is someone who can help bridge the urban-suburban divide.

For these reasons and more, Deidre Malone gets our endorsement in the Democratic primary.