Thomas MacMillan Photo
Keitazulu has tended to be the first candidate to arrive at debates.
Democratic mayoral candidate Sundiata Keitazulu said Thursday he probably won’t pursue a primary campaign if he fails to win the party’s endorsement at next Tuesday night’s convention.
Keitazulu, a Newhallville plumber and one of five Democrats seeking to succeed Mayor John DeStefano, is not expected to win that endorsement. He has yet to win the endorsements of any ward committees. Ward committee chairs cast the votes at next Tuesday’s convention to select the endorsed party candidate.
“If I don’t win the [endorsement], I might drop out,” Keitazulu said in a conversation Thursday.
He was asked the likelihood of that happening assuming he fails to win next Tuesday night’s endorsement. His response: “75 – 25” percent.
Keitazulu had been scheduled to address the Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning. The Chamber invited all five candidates to address the group at different times. Keitazulu did not show up for his scheduled 8:30 a.m. appearance.
He was asked a few hours later why he didn’t show.
“I have a job, Paul!” he responded. “It ain’t like I’m going to win this race.”
Another Democratic candidate, Henry Fernandez, did attend a Chamber of Commerce session Thursday —where, like Keitazulu, he said he doesn’t expect to get the Democratic convention’s endorsement, either. He said his campaign is ready to collect the approximately 2,500 petition signatures needed to put his name on the ballot in the Sept. 10 party primary.