Thomas Breen photo
Outside the Democratic Town Convention Tuesday night.
Karen DuBois-Walton’s sudden departure from the mayoral race left supporters crestfallen, critics relieved, and many local Democratic Party stalwarts dismayed at the effective end to a hotly contested bid for the city’s top elected office.
DuBois-Walton announced the end to her campaign challenge to first-term incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker at Tuesday’s Democratic Town Committee convention at Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School.
Elicker unanimously won the committee’s endorsement, and now advances to the Sept. 14 Democratic primary virtually unopposed, though challenger Mayce Torres has said she plans to petition her way onto the ballot. If Elicker wins the primary, he’ll face off against presumptive Republican mayoral nominee John Carlson in November’s general election.
After DuBois-Walton went public with her decision to drop out of the race, Democratic Town Convention attendees gathered outside the Betsy Ross Parish House to discuss the current state of the race now that Elicker’s path to reelection has been all but cleared.
Natalie Kainz Photo
Robert Gibson.
Some, like Elicker supporter Robert Gibson, felt that DuBois-Walton provided necessary competition in the race for mayor — even if she didn’t have the support to win.
“I believe strongly that there needs to be competition in a democracy because otherwise you just settle for what you can get,” said Gibson. “There should be real choices so we can have real democracy.”
Gibson said he was willing to listen to both sides during the campaign but sided with Elicker because he felt that DuBois-Walton’s campaign was too negative and made unwarranted attacks against the incumbent mayor.
Sarah Locke.
Sarah Locke, a co-chair for Ward 9 and local DTC official, predicted that Elicker will continue to work hard with or without a challenger.
“I really admire and respect Dr. DuBois-Walton for the way she held her campaign, and her future is everything she wants it to be.”
City employee Aryella Edwards and Shirley Lawrence.
DuBois-Walton supporter and convention-endorsed Newhallville Alder candidate Shirley Lawrence was surprised by DuBois-Walton’s announcement. She said she hopes Elicker will take DuBois-Walton’s approach of putting conversations about the same issues DuBois-Walton had raised into action.
“When I look at [DuBois-Walton], I see me: An African American woman that is causing good trouble,” said Lawrence. “I hope [Elicker] will make serious connections with people like she does and hear what the issues really are.”
Janice Underwood and Sharon Jones.
Upper Westville’s Ward 26 Democratic Ward Committee Co-Chair Sharon Jones was also surprised and disappointed that DuBois-Walton dropped out.
“I’m proud that she had it in her heart to do the thing she thought was right,” said Jones. “I think she would have been an awesome mayor, but I will go on and continue to work with the mayor selected.”
Janice and Damon Perry, with a cupcake courtesy of the Elicker campaign.
Janice Perry, Damon Perry, and Hill Alder Kampton Singh were less surprised about DuBois-Walton’s announcement. Unlike Gibson and Lawrence, they praised DuBois-Walton’s decision to leave the race for fostering a greater sense of unity within the party.
“I like that the city has become more unified instead of the supporters being split,” said Damon Perry. “[Both candidates] seem to want similar things but have their unique ways of doing it.”
The Perrys both said they are Elicker supporters because they admire his response to the pandemic and appreciate his proactive approach to governance.
Hill Alder Kampton Singh.
Singh said that although he isn’t necessarily pleased that DuBois-Walton left the race, it was a wise decision on her part.
“[DuBois-Walton] spoke a lot about crime issues and rising crime in her campaign,” said Singh. “I hope the Mayor can put more emphasis on the spike in crime in his campaign.”
Thomas Breen photo
Beaver Hills Alder Brian Wingate (right) with Newhallville alder challenger Devin Avshalom-Smith.
Beaver Hills Alder Brian Wingate described DuBois-Walton as “capable” and “compassionate.” He said that, as an alder from one of the few Democratic Ward Committees that voted to support DuBois-Walton in advance of Tuesday’s convention, he wished she was still in the race.
When asked what he would like Elicker to take away from his erstwhile challenger’s campaign, Wingate said, “When you’re in leadership, you’ve got to meet with other leaders. You can’t know it all, all the time. You can be more humble.”
Wingate also promised to work closely with whoever wins the mayoral race, even if they’re not his preferred candidate. “I continue to be a true fan and believer in democracy.”
Thomas Breen contributed to this report. Click on the Facebook Live video and advance to the 1:07:40 mark to listen to a Wednesday morning interview with DuBois-Walton on WNHH’s “LoveBabz LoveTalk.”