www.News-Herald.et.comCurtis Re-Elected
Popular Kelso Mayor Easily Overcomes Opposition; Civic Platform Retains Control of Auditor Office, City CouncilMayor Kenneth Curtis won his return ticket to City Hall, easily overwhelming challengers Alan Billings of the Free Democrats, and Civic Platform’s Tom Balmes. In gaining his victory, Mayor Curtis improved his showing of four years ago, advancing the Socialist tally from 49% to a 52% majority. He pulled strongly across all sections of Eitoan’s largest city, addressing a celebration of campaign workers at the Seventh Street Auditorium twenty minutes after the Kelso District Court Elections Magistrate announced the results. Making his appearance with his wife, children and grandchildren on the stage, Mr. Curtis told the crowd “Thank you, thank all of you for this wonderful outpouring of affection tonight. Mrs. Curtis and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and look forward to serving this city for the next four years. There’s much to be done, but there’s much to celebrate too. I think all Kelsoans can pull together now, and leave some of the more divisive rhetoric behind. We have always done so. And I want you to know, I want all Kelsoans to know we will continue to reach out to provide the best possible services at the absolutely lowest cost possible to the taxpayers. We can look forward to extending major sewer replacement throughout all areas adjacent to the central business district, as well as continuing utility expansion where needed as new development arises. We can do all of that. And where additional police resources are necessary, particularly in places like Lawndale and Ravenswood, you can be sure to see a lot more patrols. I know there’s some hard feelings among those voting for Mr. Barnes or Mr. Balmes, but I’m here tonight to reach out to them, as well as celebrating with you. Let’s not forget, we’re all in this together. And we will move forward together.” Following his speech the Mayor circulated in the crowd, then donned his heavy overcoat and joined the throng spilling out along Seventh Street, shaking hands, sharing the occasional drink, and rejoining his family to watch the impromptu display of fireworks. Police reported a nominal number of injuries, expected during the boisterous get together. Crowds had dispersed within the hour after the fireworks display, and Mayor Curtis and his extended family headed home for a more modest celebration. Interviewed after the Mayor’s announcement, Socialist Party city chairman Thomas Canty told The News-Herald “We’re quite pleased with tonight’s results, not only with Mr. Curtis’ return to office, but also on city council, and our showing across the board. We feel he show the way for Kelso and the nation toward a better, more human oriented approach to public services, without undue interference in business. As you can see, and as the results have shown, Mayor Curtis has made a difference in the lives of average Kelsoans, and they want more of it. The Ghastak and the Dashez should take note. And so should Socialists around Eitoan.”
Mr. Balmes, speaking before a small gathering at Civic Platform headquarters offered his concession early in the evening, as the impending Socialist victory became increasingly apparent. His second place showing at 30% was expected, although he picked up momentum late in the campaign as the Free Democrat collapse became apparent. In a brief statement, he said “I have called Mr. Balmes and offered my congratulations on his victory. He has conducted himself as a gentleman throughout this campaign, and wish the best for him and for Kelso. The trend is undeniable, and there’s not point in waiting. Civic Platform will apparently keep it’s top position on Council, and in the Auditor’s office. I also want to recognize Bill Reno, for keeping hold on the Auditor’s seat. He will make a statement soon. Let’s all work together for a better Kelso now.” Mr. Balmes supporters were understandably subdued, but carried on with a modest celebration, taking their vicories where they could find them. Civic Platform’s campaign treasure remarked “We knew the Mayor was popular going into this election, and it wasn’t easy to find a challenger. Still, Tom Balmes put up as good a campaign as can be expected at this time. It’s good to see he’s taking the loss well. The rest of us, on Council and the Auditor have work to do. Quite a few financial questions remain about the Mayor’s more ambitious projects. I don’t see any change to pursuing those questions at this time.”
The atmosphere was grimmer at the Oak Street Manor Hotel Grand Ballroom, site of the election watch party for Mr. Billings, the Free Democrat standard bearer. In a concession statement reflecting his acrimonious campaign, Mr. Billings stated “I have sent my concession to Mayor Curtis, and now thank all of you for your help. Of course, I wish the best for Kelso. The many problems brought to City Hall by Ken Curtis remain, and I’m afraid will be exacerbated by tonight’s results. I trust that all opposition in City Council, as well as City Auditor Reno will continue to scrutinize Mayor Curtis’ initiatives carefully. They certainly demand such oversight. I wish the city well, but am afraid the bill will come due in the near future”. Noting Mr. Billings weak polling at 18%, 40th Ward Councilman Gdrav Murtagh said “It’s truly sad that such a spirited campaign drew so little support. We can try to hold the line in Council, working with Civic Platform but given the magnitude of Ken’s victory we’ll be on the defensive. I put some of the blame on the Kelso Free Democrat leadership. A more placid approach was needed to score against a popular incumbent, and we didn’t provide that. We do fine at the national level in Kelso, both in legislative and presidential elections, but can’t seem to get it together to take City Hall.
The composition of City Council will change slightly, with the Socialists gaining three seats to bring their total to 22, still second to Civic Platform, which retained it’s margin of 25 seats and first shot at the council presidency. The Socialist margin increased at the expense of the Free Democrats, Communists and National Democrats, each losing 1 seat and dropping them the 15, 1, and 2 in council respectively. Notable changes in the turnover were the defeat of longstanding Ward 44 Free Democrat Councilman Natasha Hauser by upstart Socialist Thomas S’gavek, and the narrow loss of Ward 23 National Democrat Jonathan Gzev to Socialist Lapez by an astounding 12 votes. An immediate recount in Ward 23 will commence within three days, as required by election law.
The race for Auditor was never in doubt, with incumbent Brian Reno returning for a third term with 55% of the vote. The next highest vote getter, Alistair Jacobs for the Socialists captured 20% of the citywide vote, with Free Democrat Scott Mishan getting 16%. Trailing the major party candidates were Communist William Valasek at 8% and National Democrat James Magill with 3%. Widely viewed as competent, Mr. Reno emphasized the need to keep an eagle eye on some of Mayor Curtis’ more ambitious plans, a point he made in his victory speech, saying “I look forward to four more years of service to the people of Kelso. And to Mayor Curtis, I have offered my congratulations. But let’s be clear, all ongoing investigations will continue. I haven’t shied away from a close look at cost overruns, particularly on the Second Avenue Subway, and that’s going to continue”. Mr. Jacobs, in his concession noted “There’s no question about it, Brian’s popular. I hope that the election rhetoric doesn’t carry over into the next four years. There’s still a lot of work to be done here in Kelso, and like it or not, Ken Curtis is the man in charge.”
Election AnalysisMuch of Mayor Curtis’ success in this election has been attributed to his personal popularity. Although alienating to older, hard line Socialist Party stalwarts, party officials in Kelso were pleased with the results. Among all registered voters, 65% either approved or strongly approved of the Mayor’s performance, including 52% of Free Democrats and 86% of Communists. Mayor Curtis scored high on basic issues including public safety, transportation services, and fiscal responsibility. His standing on fiscal responsibility notably dropped among Free Democrats, with only 33% approving and Civic Platform, at 29%. The Mayor’s standing improved among voters across all ethnic groups, scoring gains among the majority Eitoan Mestizo-Gemesht, Ralkoviaks, and Indigines. Some of his improvement with the Ralkoviak minority appears to be correlated with greater identification with the Eitoan majority since the Ralkovian War, and the subsequent decline of the far right National Democrats, a trend found nationwide. The Socialists, usually sharing the bulk of the Indigine minority vote benefited from the failure of the Communists to field a candidate this year. Voting patterns among religious groups in the city followed the normal breakdown nationwide, with the Jewish and Christian believers trending more to Civic Platform, and the Camalgehey and Rozhroz minorities maintaining a preference for the Socialists. The strongly secular city, 71% of the voting base compared to 65% nationwide showed movement toward Socialist candidate at the mayoral and council level, less so in the race for Auditor. The biggest falloff of support for the Free Democrats by segment this year was seen in the move of middle class voters, both white and blue collar toward the Socialists and Civic Platform.
The abandonment of the Free Democrats among the middle class wards was demonstrated in the erosion of their support on the North Side. The party there slipped into third place in polling in seven wards easily carried by them in last years Ghastak and Dashez elections, and in the last presidential election. Free Democrat ward leaders in three of those wards have tendered their resignations, presenting a problem for party leaders already shaken by the overall results. Also of note on the North Side was the surprise victory of Civic Platform’s Roland Av’rek, a social worker over first term National Democrat Darla Hungan in a close race. On the South Side, less wealthy than the North Side, the Socialists maintained their standing. Observers noted Mayor Curtis gaining strength in Communist strongholds in the poorest neighborhoods, with voters abandoning the Communists in favor of the Socialists for City Council. Here the Mayor’s policies in expansion of social services and sanitation improvement found great favor, and paid off big time in the polls. South Side voters showed less interest in safety issues and with the budget. Across the Ruzek, on the East Side the predominately blue collar electorate also reflected the Socialist trend. The driving issues on the East Side, particularly felt in the more remote wards near the city limits were provision of police and fire services. East Siders, far removed from the glittering financial district and high tech cube farms of the North Side have long agitated for more police protection and lower fire and emergency services response times, a resentment given voice four years ago when their wards were key councilmen easily turned back challengers from the left and right, all with outright majorities. In a minor embarrassment Auditor Reno lost four East Side wards to his Socialist opponent this year.
The Path Ahead for KelsoDespite his resounding victory, and Socialist gains in City Council, Mayor Curtis still sorely lacks the votes to install a Council President, the Civic Platform expected to easily keep the office with the votes of the 15 Free Democrats. The lineup portends further debate over budget items near and dear to individual councilmen, with log rolling likely to rule the day. Concern has been voiced in the bond market that such dealing could impact the city’s bond rating, and serious concern could come down to Council from the financial community if discussions veer off into unknown territory. Relations between Mayor Curtis and Auditor Reno are expected to remain chilly, possibly damping down any financial impacts likely to be felt among lenders. There are no indications, however that the Mayor has any plans to scale back social initiatives, including expansion of well baby clinics and recreation facilities in the city’s poorest neighborhoods. The mayor may also feel pressure to accelerate utility upgrades Downtown and in adjacent neighborhoods, and accelerate the widening of the Braxton Freeway linking the Southwest Corridor with Wd’rav Regional Airport. Congestion on South Side collector roads has been a major factor in the uptick in commercial and warehouse properties in neighborhoods adjacent to Wd’rav. It has also been an irritant to residents there. Issues from the campaign, however, will likely be addressed early in Mayor Curtis’ next administration. The Second Avenue Subway Extension, hamstrung by financial difficulties is expected to receive much attention, from both the Mayor and the Auditor. Several councilmen, including prominent Civic Platform have called on Mr. Balmes, the party’s standard bearer to mediate the longstanding disagreement between the two, and there are reports that he is amenable to the role. During the campaign Mr. Balmes brought up discrepancies in the allocation of vehicle maintenance for the Kelso Police Department for two years running, a point of contention for the Mayor. This problem struck a nerve on the personal level, but any further delay in reconciliation may involve scrutiny at the Territorial level. Another sticking point between the two candidates has been the closing of high schools performing poorly on national standardized tests. Since School Board members are appointed by the Territorial Governor General, Mayor Curtis cannot directly address the issue, but many South Side parents are eager for him to meet with the Governor General early next year about this issue.
National ImplicationsThe biggest question now for the Mayor is whether he will succumb to popular pressure and make a bid to unseat President Shrdlu next year. His standing is head and shoulders ahead of other Socialists, and cuts across a wider spectrum of the electorate than any other of that party’s members of the Ghastak or Dashez. Although popular with the general public, Mayor Curtis performs less well among the party faithful, and it is there that he will need to make his mark if he is to challenge the President. Pollsters expect Mr Shrdlu to easily win renomination from the Free Democrats after pulling the country out from under years of Ralkovian domination, and the victory in the Ralkovian War. He remains popular across the board, and is seen as a break from the old guard in all the major parties. At this time Kenneth Haan, leader of Civic Platform in the Ghastak and former Vice President is seen in the lead for his party’s nomination. Mr. Haan, an early proponent of alignment with The Golden Throne is seen by many as a steady hand, and to possess the gravitas needed to challenge President Shrdlu. On the left and right, the Communists and National Democrats respectively are reeling. If nominated, Mayor Curtis can be expected to drain the pool of support for any Communist candidate in favor of the Socialists. The National Democrats, plagued by defections in the Ghastak and Dashez are a party in search of an identity. Previously seen as a stronghold of Ralkoviak privilege, the party suffered a crushing decline in the wake of the war. It remains to be seen who would take their nomination, and on which issues a platform could be built.
The Mayor would have several obstacles to overcome in any national candidacy. His personal popularity in Kelso has been the key to his success, and his willingness to deal with the business community may not sit well with the Socialist faithful outside the nation’s largest city. Still, Mayor Curtis is seen as a breath of fresh air in a room full of stodgy politicians, an image that helped propel Mr. Shrdlu to the presidency four years ago. The question for Socialist leaders nationwide is whether his track record outweighs any test of doctrinal purity and if that will carry over into next year’s primary. One stumbling block could be his success in addressing problems unique to Kelso may not translate well outside the city, even to other large cities like Berwyn or Stickney. Most Eitoans outside Kelso have never ridden a subway, and don’t know anybody in the largest banks and companies. Mr. Curtis cannot be expected to be familiar with their issues either. This could be felt particularly in rural areas, which have never been strong for the Socialists. It is doubtful that Mr. Curtis can devote much time to farm issues, for example, and any policy pronouncements would be closely watched for instances of urban bias. Another geographic concern would be the perception in outlying areas that the major parties devote too much attention to the battleground Central Corridor territories, particularly the bigger cities. Free Democrats and Civic Platform can be expected to play on the rivalry between Kelso and second city Berwyn to gin up support in the Coastal territories, although the urban-rural split there could still help Mr. Curtis. The Southern territories, always a wild card are harder to fathom. Here the average income is well below the Central Corridor, although regional resentment is not strong. It’s always hard to tell which will play well in the South. The Frontier territories, all of which have average incomes less than half of Kelso’s have trended to the left for may years, and it can be expected that this would benefit Mr. Curtis if he were to run, papering over any concerns about unfamiliarity with the regions.