CARLTON FLETCHER: Early jockeying has begun for mayoral race

Well, the race is on …

— George Jones

This year’s contest may be the most interesting mayoral race this city has had in its history. Like Democratic presidential candidates rushing to throw their hats into the ring so that they can claim the coveted (and, yes, I’m being facetious) “early frontrunner” title, it seems everyone even remotely involved in local politics is being mentioned as a possible candidate for mayor of Albany.

Henry Mathis, the former Albany City Commissioner who attempted to get onto the ballot four years ago but still had not had his rights restored after a prison stint, has already said he plans to run, as has businessman Omar Salaam. The latter, who has served on the Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority board and has been slowly putting together a support team behind the scenes, is one of the more interesting hopefuls expected to announce his candidacy.

In the “Will they leave their posts on the City Commission for a mayoral run?” category are Wards III and IV commissioners B.J. Fletcher and Roger Marietta, respectively. Fletcher insists that she is not particularly interested in the mayoral seat, and she has openly encouraged current Mayor Dorothy Hubbard to seek a third term. Fletcher said as late as this week that “Mayor Hubbard has some unfinished business, and I hope she will stay one more term so that she gets the credit she deserves.”

Marietta is a more interesting case. He wants to be mayor … really badly. But smart money says he will not risk his seat on the commission if Hubbard declares that she will indeed seek re-election. The Albany State University professor could make the jump, though, and — win or lose — his departure from the commission would open a number of possibilities.

One is that businessman Chad Warbington, whom Marietta outpolled to retain the Ward IV seat, would jump into the mix for the vacated seat. But many have mentioned Warbington as a possible mayoral candidate, too.

Another businessman who has expressed no outward interest in politics but who is often mentioned as a possible contender for the mayor’s office is businessman Bo Henry. The restaurateur/musician is easily one of the most popular movers and shakers in the community, and his role in putting together the acclaimed benefit concert featuring area musical stars Luke Bryan, Phillip Phillips, Cole Swindell and Dallas Davidson is an indication of the kind of pull he has and the financial backing he could no doubt count on.

Some have mentioned preacher Lorenzo Heard as a possible candidate, but it’s hard to imagine he’d seriously consider a move into politics given the trouncing he received from Lane Price in a school board race several years ago.

The key to all this conjecture, though, is Hubbard. Never one to announce plans without first fully vetting the potential opposition and the costs, the sitting mayor is not expected to make any kind of announcements about her plans until the process is much farther along. Which leaves all her would-be opposition in a quandary.

While Mathis and Salaam are expected to start full-on campaigning in the near future, most other potential candidates are relegated to behind-closed-doors dealings and, basically, waiting to see how things shake out. Marietta may decide to take the plunge no matter what Hubbard does, although he’d most likely only do that if he’s ready to risk being out of the governmental picture altogether. That doesn’t seem too likely.

The only likely scenario that would draw Fletcher into the race would be a decision by Hubbard to step down and the candidacy of individuals who “have their own best interest at heart, not what’s best for the people of the city.”

All the early jockeying for position is interesting, but a lot will happen before voters in the community make their decision.

Email Carlton Fletcher at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ABH_Fletcher.