Would "progressive" Atlanta ever elect a non-black mayor? (Sandy Springs: crime, neighborhood)

[FlyiMetro]

Sometimes I think it could happen, but there is another part of me that feels not enough people actually pay attention to the platforms that someone is running on. I have my own agenda as what would make Atlanta a real power player, if the person running for mayor has this same idea, they will get my vote race wouldnt matter. I honestly dont feel the people of Atlanta are smart enough to vote based on ideas & progress & will always vote for a black person because he is black. A Korean or gay mayor would be pretty cool though.

[FlyiMetro]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

I don't think race is as big as an issue as people make it out to be.

For instance, in the last election, the areas of the city that lean majority black and went for Reed are also majority Democratic areas. The areas that lean majority white that went to Norwood were majority Republican areas. Norwood was perceived by many to be the more conservative candidate, and Reed the more liberal. That's why Reed ultimately won, since the parts of the city that are more racial mixed are also heavily Democratic areas.

So it's my contention that a popular liberal or progressive can easily become mayor of this town no matter what their race is. People tend to the vote for those that they like and appeal to their political beliefs.

And before we even go there, plenty of majority black cities have elected white mayors in the modern era. Just look at New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu was just elected mayor there with 66% of the vote in a 10 person field and carried the black vote by over 90%.

New Orleans is a much smaller city than the other cities that were mentioned.
Progressive really has nothing to do with race imo, BUT voting based on race is a terrible way to think & to me is Non Progressive.

[tonygeorgia]

Would "progressive" Cumming ever elect a black mayor?

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by FlyiMetro

Progressive really has nothing to do with race imo, BUT voting based on race is a terrible way to think & to me is Non Progressive.

How does that run counter to what I posted?

Reed owes his mayorship to Democratic voters, not black voters.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

Would "progressive" Cumming ever elect a black mayor?

Skin color would be a non-issue in a truly progressive election.

[stvincent]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Reed owes his mayorship to Democratic voters, not black voters.

I like your take on the last election and agree for the most part.

I don't live within Atlanta's city limits and could not vote in 2009 election. I would have voted for Reed if I were able to. Mary Norwood did not seem like she knew enough to be a leader of anything. She could not think of a response to many issues and changed her mind on a whim on other issues. The fact that she's white has nothing to do with her incompetence. The race was very very close though. I don't think the OP has done any research on the issue, rather dropped a line and let everyone else start working on his sociology homework.

[northwinds]

As long as there is a majority black voting presence in the City of Atlanta there will be a black mayor.....if you've lived in Atlanta for more than six months you understand that it is all about racial power politics here. If you don't understand that just watch a Fulton County Commission meeting for about ten minutes (that will be all you can stomach). The metro area continues to polarize along racial lines...soon there will be a Milton County instead of "North Fulton" which will have the richest tax base in the state and Atlanta and Fulton County will continue to be "progressive" with their institutions like the Atlanta School System which is one of the worst systems in the country.....and these institutions (schools, police, fire, etc.) will continue to only hire blacks in leadership positions no matter what the outcome. Meanwhile the schools in Milton County will continue to be listed in Newsweeks "best schools in the country"....nothing ever changes much in this city.....

[GaBison2007]

As an african american woman (who just snagged her APARTMENT in ATL last week and moving in Sept ...I would have no hesitation to vote for a non-black mayor...I would PREFER to vote for a down to earth guy/woman who came from my background...severe poverty or low middle class, very ambitious,knows how to pinch pennies and survive/thrive, and knows what it feels like to struggle versus some spoiled upper middle class/rich brat ....and ATL has TONS of BLACK rich spoiled brats who I wouldn't trust with my cat much less a mayor's position

[GALiberal]

Originally Posted by northwinds

As long as there is a majority black voting presence in the City of Atlanta there will be a black mayor.....if you've lived in Atlanta for more than six months you understand that it is all about racial power politics here. If you don't understand that just watch a Fulton County Commission meeting for about ten minutes (that will be all you can stomach). The metro area continues to polarize along racial lines...soon there will be a Milton County instead of "North Fulton" which will have the richest tax base in the state and Atlanta and Fulton County will continue to be "progressive" with their institutions like the Atlanta School System which is one of the worst systems in the country.....and these institutions (schools, police, fire, etc.) will continue to only hire blacks in leadership positions no matter what the outcome. Meanwhile the schools in Milton County will continue to be listed in Newsweeks "best schools in the country"....nothing ever changes much in this city.....

There is also quite a bit of racial polarization happening as a result of actions taken by northern city/county governments and by many of the radio talk show hosts that live in the metro area. It goes both ways you know.

[northwinds]

Originally Posted by GALiberal

There is also quite a bit of racial polarization happening as a result of actions taken by northern city/county governments and by many of the radio talk show hosts that live in the metro area. It goes both ways you know.

The northern suburbs tried to be team players for years but we were told time and again to "shut up whitey and send us your money" so we can build more senior citizen complexes and libraries in South Fulton.....libraries that had half the usership of the North Fulton ones, etc. Finally, we called BS on this system and now Atlanta and South Fulton want to block our independence.......no taxation without representation! Yep, it does go both ways.