Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 5, 1992 TAG: 9202050406
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
AN INVITATION TO THE CANDIDATE POOL
ESPECIALLY in an era when Americans are said to be fed up with politics as usual, you might think the domino effect of the retirement of a long-time mayor would open the way for an infusion of fresh blood into Roanoke's body politic.It hasn't happened yet. There's some realignment of teams, to switch the metaphor, but we're still waiting to see new names on the scorecard.
As candidates to succeed retiring Republican Mayor Noel Taylor, the Democrats so far have: (1) Vice Mayor Howard Musser, the outsider-turned-insider who's completing his 10th year on council, and (2) Councilman David Bowers, who in his eighth year in office is operating the longest-running populist show in town.
The Republicans have yet to be heard from. Willis Anderson, a name from the '60s when he (then a Democrat) was the youngest mayor in the city's history, is said to be considering a mayoral run. Bob Garland, who retired in 1990 after 24 years on council, also has been mentioned.
At one time, the GOP was a force of respectable strength in city politics. New state Sen. Brandon Bell's surprising showing in Roanoke last November boosted city Republicans' spirits.
Yet, when Musser announced his candidacy last week, those standing behind him included more than Sheriff Alvin Hudson, the Democrat who can get other Democrats to mass meetings. Also present were Republicans Taylor, Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles and Bell - performing a kind of non-endorsement endorsement.
What was endorsed, as much as anything, may be the A-B-B (Anybody But Bowers) candidacy. The consensual aversion among those behind Musser last week seems composed of distaste for Bowers' political style as well as fear of his political potence.
But if Democratic division over the mayoral nomination portends competition, it is between familiar figures. And the city has yet to witness a flocking of newcomers, eager or otherwise, to the races for three non-mayoral council seats up for election May 5.
Republicans at the moment have a field of one; Bowles, completing her 16th year in office and the party's only incumbent other than Taylor, is running for re-election. The hope is she'll have company on the GOP slate.
Democratic candidates for City Council aren't exactly coming out of the woodwork either - a scarcity remarkable given that the only Democrat incumbent seeking re-election is Bev Fitzpatrick. (The third seat up for election this time is the one Bowers now holds; Musser's term expires in 1994.)
Council candidate Renee Anderson is the nearest thing to a newcomer (though even she, at age 28, has a municipal-government background, being a former secretary in the city clerk's office). Jim Trout - a member of council on and off for years, but currently off - wants to be on the ticket, even though two years ago he ran for re-election (and lost) as an independent. Bowers, of course, might seek a council slot if he loses the mayoral nomination.
In short, more of the same.
This isn't to denigrate the veterans who're running. They're to be commended for their years of public service, and their experience is valuable. Still, wouldn't the city benefit from a greater show of aspiration beyond the usual cadre of candidates?
U.S. Rep. Jim Olin's announced retirement has drawn a field of strong congressional contenders from both parties: all four from the Roanoke Valley and none a retread. Taylor's retirement suggests, over the next few years, a time for torch-passing in city offices as well.
Whoever wins, or deserves to win, is beside the point: More and new faces would brighten the pool of candidates and deepen the reservoir from which Roanoke must tap its leadership.