ALBANY WARD II ELECTION: Bobby Coleman: I don’t know what my opponent stands for

ALBANY — Those who know Ward II Albany City Commissioner Bobby Coleman best know he’s not one to mince words. And he’s certainly not going to change with his political career on the commission hanging in the balance.

Coleman challenged his opponent, Matt Fuller’s candidacy this week as the pair’s race wound down to its final few days.

“Here’s the difference in Bobby Coleman’s campaign and Matt Fuller’s campaign,” Coleman said. “Just as I have been for the past four years on the commission, I’m focused on economic development, community development, recreation, jobs, the things that matter in our community. I still don’t know what Matt Fuller stands for. I want to know what he stands for. He hasn’t told anybody in all this time.”

Coleman got overwhelming support in the Jackson Heights precinct to push CaMia Hopson out of the runoff by less than 50 votes. He received 25.9 percent of the overall vote to Fuller’s 38.25 percent. Hopson had 20.87 percent, former Commissioner Ivey Hines 9.4 percent and Haryl Dabney 5.57 percent.

As the Dec. 5 runoff pitting Coleman against Fuller nears, the incumbent commissioner said he’s willing to stand on his record during the four-year term that is winding down.

“Yes, the people in the Jackson Heights precinct came out big for me, and that’s no surprise,” Coleman said of the Nov. 7 municipal election. “People in this part of the city know me. I grew up here; I went to school here. But I have not just represented the people in Jackson Heights during my four years in office. I have represented all the people of Ward II.

“Because he’s from the Rawson Circle area, Mr. Fuller has reduced himself to a one-issue candidate, that Historic District issue they have going on in that area. I’ve made it clear that, because I’m not from Rawson Circle, my vote on that issue will be guided by what the majority of the people there want.”

Coleman chided Fuller for focusing attention on his missing campaign signs.

“Here I am talking about economic development and jobs and public safety and recreation, and Mr. Fuller wants to talk about campaign signs,” Coleman said. “He’s so concerned about people taking his signs. People have taken my signs, too, but that’s just not that big a deal to me. Signs don’t vote, people do. I prefer to spend my time talking about the things that matter to the people in Ward II and throughout the city of Albany.”

Coleman hinted that Fuller, who is white, has attempted to bring race into the campaign, although he did not directly accuse his opponent of doing so.

“Look, one of the worst things that could happen to our city is to allow racial overtones to make their way into our politics,” Coleman said. “I don’t know Mr. Fuller well enough to attribute anything like that directly to him, but I think the people here are intelligent enough where anybody who listens to the talk of some of his supporters can hear it. The people of this community are not so naive — and neither am I — that they don’t hear the things that are being said or at least implied.”

The incumbent commissioner said he expects early voting to play more of a role in determining the Dec. 5 runoff.

“I think it very well could come down to the early and absentee votes this time, although they didn’t have much of an impact on the general election,” Coleman said. “That’s one of the sad things about elections in our community. There is such a sense of apathy, and there just aren’t any debates planned where people can make a side-by-side comparison of the candidates.

“I think the lack of information provided by Mr. Fuller is an indication that he doesn’t understand how government works. It’s part of that learning curve that I’ve already been through.”

A week of early voting for the runoff will be conducted Monday-Friday in the Elections office.