COMMENTARY: Smithgall’s strong performance against Gray
Who would have predicted that a Lancaster City write-in Republican mayoral candidate would come within 314 votes of defeating incumbent Rick Gray? And what does it mean that Gray received 468 fewer votes than fellow Democrat and City Council President Louise Williams?
Gray is quoted as saying “Negative campaigning may have an impact, but it doesn’t work… If you run down the city that you want to govern, it’s not going to work.” Balderdash! An underfunded, unendorsed, write-in candidate in the primary from a minority party doesn’t come so close in a race unless there is widespread discontent among the electorate.
Charlie Smithgall commented: “I think it sends a message that the city is not happy with the way things are going. It’s not a mandate at all.”
The city residents would be better served if Gray searches for other reasons for the close vote. It will help him do a better job as mayor.
Fewer votes, not less.
Smithgall was not a write-in candidate for this general election. That would have been impressive!
(Editor: Thanks. Changes made.)
I personally think the race was great for the City of Lancaster in that it brought issues to the forefront and provided the motivation for all to think hard about what [are] the issues that confront the progress of the future of this great city we all call home.
Just think, if Charlie had not entered the race, the debate on these important issues would not have happened. And that being said, people are now more in tuned with the challenges that [Rick Gray] faces for the next four years, which gives [him] an advantage of having a smarter constituency.