Twenty-nine years ago this week, George Borrelli handed off the Politics Column to his whippersnapper successor for chronicling campaigns and elections around here.
And in a conversation a few days ago, the retired political reporter for The Buffalo News (who started covering local politics in the 1950s) confirmed what everyone theorizes about India Walton’s victory over Byron Brown in the Democratic primary for mayor of Buffalo.
“It has to be the biggest political upset in the history of the city,” Borrelli said.
Indeed. As the entire nation remains transfixed by Walton’s out-of-nowhere emergence into big-time politics and subsequent win over an established pol, the shock factor is wearing off.
Buffalo now looks ahead to what may rank as the most compelling mayoral election since Jim Griffin prevailed over Art Eve, Les Foschio, John Phelan and Don Turchiarelli in the 1977 primary and general elections (well before even the whippersnapper arrived on the scene).
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Watch for the matchup between Walton and Brown to consume the region. Didn’t the topic dominate just about all of your conversations with friends and neighbors over the past few days?
That’s because this election will prove different on so many levels. This is not the typical contest between career pols (though Brown certainly ranks), but features a Democratic primary winner virtually unknown just a few months ago. Whatever you think of Walton, she brings a fresh perspective to the citywide discussion.
In many mayoral elections, plowing snow or picking up garbage can dominate. Now Walton’s new brand of “democratic socialism” – a la Sen. Bernie Sanders – will feed the debate. National themes like defunding police (though Walton avoids the term) will now be hashed out in corner taverns and over the back fence.
After winning an election stemming from about 7% of city voters, Walton must now broaden her appeal. So far, she has stuck to her left-leaning rhetoric, even proclaiming that she seeks to bring her politics to the Board of Education and Common Council with “progressive, forward-thinking people.”
Usually, Democrats run to the left during the primary and veer back to the center for the general election. So far, she has not followed the usual course. Then again, Walton is not a “usual” candidate for mayor.
Walton may be starting that effort. On Wednesday, sources report, she addressed the county Democrats’ Executive Committee that had firmly supported Brown. The reaction was “pleasant but reserved,” one source said. If Walton can motivate a Headquarters operation pledged to Brown since 2005, she inherits a decided advantage.
Walton is already gaining support from left-leaning Dems, and can expect an influx of people and money from national organizations seeking to reshape the Democratic Party. Will it play in South Buffalo or Kaisertown? Will it play in Masten or the West Side? The mayor must improve his numbers drastically in the latter neighborhoods to gain a fifth term.
Walton may face the task of patching up relations with the Buffalo Teachers Federation. The powerful union that relayed thousands of emails and texts to its substantial membership on her behalf during the primary may now be wary of her warning to the Democratic power structure.
“That didn’t sit well with me,” BTF President Phil Rumore said a few days ago. “I would rather see candidates who win an election say ‘let’s put the pieces together and work together for the people.’ ”
The BTF endorsement and the muscle of its communication power has not yet been determined for the general election, Rumore added.
Brown must also alter his course in a contest Walton is sure to label “Fat Cats vs. The People.” And the mayor must remember that in the 2016 presidential primary vs. New York’s own Hillary Clinton, democratic socialist Sanders garnered 43% of the city vote.
In turn, Walton must remember that Brown’s City Hall machine was credited with winning Buffalo and Erie County for Clinton.
So this affair is shaping up as one for the ages. Walton will mobilize the young progressives and the disadvantaged. Brown will turn to his own operation that worked for Clinton and for him so many times before.
But first, he must awaken it from the slumber it performed so well during the primary.
