Luttrell resists push to endorse Wharton in race
City mayor’s campaign chief urges support
A campaign director for Memphis Mayor A C Wharton is urging the Shelby County mayor to display “courageous leadership” and endorse Wharton in the upcoming city race.
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, however, stands by his previous statement that county mayors should not be involved in a city mayor’s election, though Luttrell did attend a Sunday event for City Councilman Jim Strickland, who is running for mayor against Wharton.
County Commissioner Van Turner, a director of Wharton’s campaign team, said the county mayor should endorse his Memphis equivalent.
Turner said in an email in response to Tuesday’s First Word column by Kyle Veazey detailing Luttrell’s appearance at the Strickland event that Wharton should be credited for Shelby County’s financial status after a successful tenure as county mayor that ended in 2009. He said that Luttrell, taking office in 2010, admitted to the county’s finances being in good shape.
He continued in the email to urge Luttrell to display “courageous leadership and put his support behind the person he believes is best to continue the progress that Mayor Wharton has brought to the city of Memphis.
“I stand by the statement,” Turner said by phone Friday.
Luttrell, who said he approached Turner to discuss the matter, said he “chose not to endorse” because he does not believe county and city mayors should be involved in each other’s races. Rather than endorsing, he said he was simply at the event to “drop by” and show support for a friend.
“There are several good candidates, any one of which would make a good mayor,” he said.
Luttrell’s preference to avoid individual support may stem from last year’s county mayor’s race. Challenger Deidre Malone received Wharton’s endorsement, and Luttrell wasn’t particularly thrilled at that.
Turner said he and Luttrell, who spoke Friday, would have to “agree to disagree.”
“According to my standard, I think it would be appropriate that he would endorse Mayor Wharton” based on past achievements in office, for which the city is now “reaping the benefits.”
One of the benefits includes a $6 million surplus, thanks to Wharton’s debt-reduction plan, he said.
Luttrell said later, however, that he does not have plans to attend any other candidate’s fundraiser or event during the election season, and he doesn’t know if those plans, or lack thereof, will change.