With race playing a powerful role in Atlanta’s mayoral race, former state Senator Kasim Reed rallied from his position as a longshot in the race to force political overtime with City Council member Mary Norwood.
Norwood, who led the polls for most of the evening, 45 to 38 percent, is trying to become the first white mayor in Atlanta in a generation. The two have already begun the runoff with the decisive election scheduled for Dec. 1.
The legendary Maynard Jackson started a procession of African American mayors in Atlanta when he won election in 1974.
Norwood denies that race played a factor in the campaign, but the specter of race hovers over the proceedings like a fog. Polls show that Norwood won all the predominantly white precincts and gained support in some black areas, while Reed dominated in his base area of Atlanta’s historic southwest-Cascade region and had a strong showing in the northwest and west sides of the city.
“I have said all along that this is about uniting Atlanta,” Norwood said. “Dr. King said we should be evaluated by who we are, not what we look like and I have been so gratified that so many Atlantans across the city have decided that they can support me because of the work I’ve done, because of how much I care about all communities in this city.”
Some from Reed’s support base were not convinced. “I am so disappointed in my race for being bamboozled by Mary Norwood. I feel disappointed, let down, but not discouraged,” said Bonnie Jackson Ransom. “We have 28 days to convince people that there is a legacy, a legacy that my ex-husband started. And we cannot let that legacy die. People who think that Norwood is good for this city, [need to] take another look at the real Mary Norwood.”
Reed, for his part, would rather people look at him and his accomplishments, which many more did as the election crawled into the final weeks and days. It was the electorate’s second look that eventually enabled Reed to devour Norwood’s sizable lead and force the mayoral run off.
“I just feel good. I just never lost the faith. I trust the voters. I knew that if I worked hard and put forth the message of keeping the people of Atlanta safe, taking care of its young people and restoring fiscal stability, that the people of Atlanta would respond,” Reed said. “And they did respond tonight.”
City Council President Lisa Borders, who bowed out of the race only to return to try to succeed Mayor Shirley Franklin, claimed that she was in a statistical tie with front-runner Norwood for most of the race. However, Borders was routed in the final polls with a weak showing of only 14 percent. –terry shropshire
