Albany ministers endorse Albany mayoral candidate Henry Mathis
Staff Photo: Alan Mauldin
By Alan Mauldin
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ALBANY — Ten area clergy members on Tuesday announced their endorsement of Albany mayoral candidate Henry Mathis in his second bid for the office.
Mathis also was endorsed recently by civil rights activist J.T. Johnson and former Westover High School football coach Winfred Benson.
On Tuesday, pastors Eddie B. Bankston, R.L. Chatmon, Andrew E. McDowell Jr., Charles McDonald and Ron Smith gave their reasons for backing Mathis during a news conference at the candidate’s East Broad Avenue campaign headquarters.
Mathis announced that pastors Felix Revills, Joseph Howard, Kendrick Barlow, E.L. Wilson and Oscar Benton also had endorsed him but were unable to attend the news conference.
Mathis is one of three candidates seeking to unseat incumbent Mayor Bo Dorough in the Tuesday municipal election, along with businessman Omar Salaam and businessman and minister Antonio Screen Sr.
“Being born and raised here in Albany — I’ve been here 62 years — I’ve seen a lot going on in this city,” McDowell, pastor at Greater United Pleasant Green Baptist Church in Leesburg, said. “You want a man who’s got that heart not just in being the mayor but has the heart for the people.
“I stand behind him because he’s shown me over the years to be a friend. He’s an upstanding man in the community. We endorse Henry Mathis for mayor of Albany, Georgia.”
McDonald, pastor at Mt. Early Baptist Church in Albany, said he feels that Mathis is the right person for the job.
“Mr. Mathis is very qualified,” he said. “He is very qualified. He has a passion to see this city grow, to see between the lines to make Albany what Albany needs to be.”
The endorsements mean a great deal to him, Mathis said.
“They know the problems, and most of all they know the candidates,” he said. “I grew up with many of them. They know my passion for Albany; they know my love of Albany and they know I’m capable of leading this city.”
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