Barber, Rakestraw and Wade: together again?
If you're looking for something to chew on in tonight's election results, ponder the resurgence of former county commissioners.
Mike Barber, an incumbent in District 4, is a former county commissioner. He faces opposition in the general election.
Trudy Wade out-polled Sandy Carmany in tonight's District 5 primary. Wade is a former county commissioner who lost a protracted legal battle with John Parks over an at-large seat in 2004.
And Rakestraw was at the top of the heap in the at-large primary tonight. And yes, she's another former county commissioner.
All three hail from a time on the county commissioners when the term "raucous" was used frequently to describe the board. (Yes, I was one of the people describing it at the time.) If all three were to win, they would make up a third of the council.
So what does it say that three former county commissioners know for being, um, let's say outspoken, might find their way on council - a body that until recently was known as the more gentile of the two?
I put that questions to the candidates and will be putting their audio up here in a few minutes.
Update:Mary Rakestraw says that council members have been "too polite," particularly in regard to the police situation. She said that voters were looking for people who would be more out front. "They know that we will speak our minds," Rakestraw said.
Click here to listen to Rakestraw speak her mind following her strong finish Tuesday.
update: Sandy Carmany, the long-time incumbent in District 5, said that voters better be careful what they wish for. Citizens frequently complained about the commissioner's antics during the era from which Wade, Rakestraw and Barber hail, she said.
"I think the citizens better take a close look and don't forget so quickly," Carmany said.
She chalked up her second place finish to Wade at least partially to her supporters assuming she had this election in the bag.
"Now I think this is going to spur them on," she said. Expect the debate between Carmany and Wade to be robust during the next month.
Click here to listen to Carmany give her thoughts.
Update: So what exactly is wrong with a little outspokenness?
"Even though everyone says it's a little run on the county commission, I think it's a very health atmosphere," Wade said.
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Talk about second acts in politics: Rakestraw and Wade both lost their seats on the board of commissioners in 2004. Rakestraw was beaten by Mike Winstead in the District 7 Republican primary. Wade was edged by John Parks in the at-large race, then held on to the seat during a long and ultimately unsuccessful legal challenge.
Winstead went on to beat Mike Barber in the 2004 general election for that District 7 seat, and Barber now holds a Greensboro council seat. So his second act came first.
Posted on October 9, 2007 10:46 PM