EDITOR’S NOTE: CL won’t be running its endorsement in the St. Pete mayoral race till the issue of Aug. 24. By that time, we hope to have met with all of the candidates in the race individually — though in the case of former Mayor Rick Baker, neither he nor his associates have so far responded to repeated calls from CL asking for a one-on-one interview. Mayor Rick Kriseman and candidates Jesse Nevel, Momma Tee Lassiter, and Anthony Cates have agreed to be interviewed.
In the interim, we received columns from Florida Poet Laureate Peter Meinke and renowned Poynter Institute writing coach Roy Peter Clark. Both Meinke, in his “Poet’s Notebook” column, and Clark, in the essay below, express a clear preference for one candidate, and we thought their viewpoints deserved to be spotlighted.
The Clarks moved to St. Petersburg in 1977. Over 40 years I have voted for seven candidates for mayor. All of them got elected: Corinne Freeman, Ed Cole, Bob Ulrich, David Fischer, Rick Baker, Bill Foster and Rick Kriseman. I am batting a thousand.
As I look at that list I say to myself, “We have been pretty darn lucky to have such a good run of mayors.” Some better than others, of course. Over four decades, those six men and one woman have led the city out of ruins to become one of the most desirable and beautiful places to live on the face of the earth.
When we arrived, St. Pete was said to have Tampa envy. Who is envious now? Hey, Tampa, where’s our victory cigar?
These good feelings leave me with a problem. I have already voted for both Ricks: Baker and Kriseman. Like many others, I am forced into the position of voting for one of two good mayors I have voted for in the past.
Which one will get my vote? Let me check my favorite newspaper, the Tampa Bay Times. Hmm, Florida’s best newspaper has endorsed Rick Baker. The Times argues that, among his other virtues, the once and future mayor is most likely to clean up our broken sewer system.
I love my paper, and I respect both Ricks, but I have just mailed in my ballot. No surprise, I voted for a Rick. Rick Kriseman, that is. Remember, I’m batting a thousand.
I have no doubt that our current mayor will be rowing his campaign against the tide. As I write this, tropical storm Emily is drenching the city, reminding citizens of our sewer woes.
Another problem: From Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump (oh, how it pains me to evoke that juxtaposition), luck seems to run with the taller candidate. Maybe Napoleon spoiled it for the little guy. Rick Baker stands out in a crowd, from a church service to the Saturday morning market. In comparison, Rick Kriseman looks like a high school point guard shooting from behind a screen set by Wilt Chamberlain.
So why Kriseman?
My argument is a classic American one, attributed to Lincoln in 1864 and later to FDR and quoted by countless incumbents. It goes like this: Don’t swap horses in the middle of a stream.
The trajectory of the city continues up and up. Why vote for someone new? Why break up a leadership team that continues to make progress on several fronts?
St. Pete has its problems to be sure. But I am confident, whichever Rick is elected, that the sewers will get fixed, the stadium issues will be settled, the public schools will improve, and maybe I will even find a place to park.
This city is on a roll. I say stick with the Rick we have. Put that on your bumper sticker, Mayor Kriseman.
St. Pete’s mayoral election is traditionally seen as non-partisan, in general a blessing for the city. But there are differences between the candidates that reveal the strains in American politics nationwide.
Rick Baker is a good man and a good Republican. A Jeb Bush Republican. If he were to run for governor, I might vote for him again. Rick Kriseman is a Democrat. He is more progressive than Rick Baker. He is a strong advocate of gay rights and believes the science behind the bad effects of global warming. When Rick Baker talks about those things, it always sounds like his mama made him say it.
Florida, I do not have to tell you, has become a very Republican state. We have a very Republican governor, a very, very Republican legislature, and one very prominent Republican Senator. On the federal level, Republicans are in turmoil.
Can’t we keep a Democrat mayor for four more years? Even if he happens to be a short mayor? Just for a little balance? Come on, St. Pete, we’re on a roll.
Roy Peter Clark taught writing for 40 years at the Poynter Institute, the school that owns the Tampa Bay Times.
This article appears in Aug 10-17, 2017.