April 2005
The Evolution of Smitherman for Mayor
What the candidate and his party are considering; why he will run
By Michael D. Altman
editor-in-chief
Like club-goers at 11:30 on Saturday night, candidates are lining up outside of City Hall. Some anxiously play with change in their pocket staring into the shine on their shoes wondering if they really belong. Some are confident, making small talk and pleasantries in the form of urban hand shakes with the familiar bouncer. Who is hip enough to get in? Who will not like the judgment the bouncer holds, their turn still indefinite?
Two years ago, Councilman Christopher Smitherman was one of those waiting for judgment. Today, he and his political party, the Charter Committee, enjoy a different experience as he has casually danced in and out of the mayoral race since the turn of the year.
In his office on the third floor of City Hall, he peruses an e-mail he has just printed out; it is from local political activist Heather Sturgil. In it, she urges the outspoken Councilman to break the elitism of the mayoral candidates.
The e-mail conveys a sense of what people are telling him overall – “that (people) believe, even with the candidates that have announced, that there is a void of a selection,” Smitherman says. “(The voters) looking for a real option, not a decision between two evils…very similar to what people felt about the Bush/Kerry campaign. People are looking for a real candidate that is different, that they can cast their vote for and feel good for, so that’s one thing.”
”We’re lacking leadership in the city of Cincinnati; there is a tremendous void down here. Understand that me entering the mayor’s race would bring a different energy to the race because people out there on the outline that say ‘I now feel like I have someone to vote for’ and those voters will come to the table…we need that kind of energy around the Democratic process.” -Christopher Smitherman
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His brow is thoughtful, his body lanky and comfortable in his chair.
He then presents the other side he is considering. “When I talk to citizens they say, ‘Smitherman, we don’t want you to run for mayor, and its not because we don’t believe you wouldn’t be a great mayor; we finally have someone on council that we have access to.’”
He leans closer, pulling you into the scene. He extends his arms, acting it out. ”’We finally have someone who is giving a voice to common people and having those thoughtful discussions at the public policy level; I don’t want to lose that. My concern is this is an all or nothing race for you,’” he says, paraphrasing what people are saying to him. “These are white and black citizens who are approaching me with this kind of discussion. ‘It’s not that I wouldn’t vote for you for mayor, but my concern is, if you lose, then we have no voice on Council.’”
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The outspoken councilman is a member of the Charter Committee, “the good government people.” The local independent party predating the local Democratic Party is extremely cautious right now about the 2005 election. For the first time since the early 90s (1993 Bobbie Stern and Tyrone Yates), they have more than one seat on council; they fancy keeping those seats, at least. It is that at least that is mucking up the situation because Chris Bortz, a man with money and a name, will also be running as a Charterite and could conceivably get the third party seats – if Smitherman runs for Council re-election.
Like a pitcher, rocking to a pause before his delivery, he methodically shifts in his chair.
He delivers.
“As I see the need for a new mayor in Cincinnati , first of all my sense is that we need someone in that chair who is compassionate to people. There’s been an emphasis – too much of an emphasis in my opinion – on corporate America .” He directly cites prospective opponent and fellow council member David Pepper. “For example, a $54 million Convergys deal would not be something you would see me supporting as mayor.”
Smitherman, a full-time financial planner, intensely considers his family when seeking advise about upping the stakes of his candidacy. “Personal decisions that drive me: I have a very young family, I have four children that are very important to me and trying to balance my life out now because I work, I have a full-time private practice, which is very important to me, so trying to balance that piece out.”
His understanding and calculation of the city pulls from his strength. Smitherman conveys his sense of the big picture, a possible platform. ”If there’s no emphasis on regional transportation in the city of Cincinnati , we’re going to continue to miss the complete boat. This debate about how much is it going to cost, we have to end that today and make it happen. We have to connect the city of Cincinnati to our region and the region to the city of Cincinnati , and we have to do that…these are the kinds of things that drive me to say, ‘I want to run for mayor of the city of Cincinnati , and I want to be a new face for the city.’”
Could it happen? Is he going to run this late in the game when Sen. Mark Mallory, and fellow coucilmembers David Pepper and Alicia Reece have a substantial jump on money and campaigning?
Two weeks ago, Charter made its first endorsement. Nick Spencer, the young bulldog out of Over-the-Rhine was the only one endorsed. This fundamentally accents the fact that neither of the incumbents were.
Charter Committee Chairman Michael Goldman says the reason Spencer was the only endorsement was “there is a possibility there will be a Charter Candidate for mayor,” his inflection like a knowing smile. His smile is because of Chris Bortz, about whom Goldman says “I’m hoping we can officially announce (Chris’) candidacy very soon.”
The nephew of former Cincinnati mayor Arn Bortz is believed to be someone who can fill a vacancy, should Smitherman or Tarbell forfeit their seat. In political speculative math, this is equal to “yes” as far as a Charter mayoral candidate.
“I’ll share this with you; it’s not an ago thing at all. This is a very serious decision for me and has…” Smitherman pauses. “I was born and raised here. I have been so frustrated with our direction over the last decade. I feel like our city has gotten so cold, so distant from people. We [City Council members] are not even operating in common sense and just pandering to big business and what they want. I don’t want eight years of that.”
Links
· Cincinnati City Council Homepage-- “Biography of Councilman Christopher Smitherman "
· Cincinnati Enquirer -- “Contact Representative Christopher Smitherman ”
· CityBeat -- "At Least It's Change ”[Nov. 5, 2003]
Contact Information
· michaelda@queencityforum.com
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