Thursday, November 8, 2012
Politics / Transit Reed says he's staying in Atlanta; wants to push for Beltline transit, high-speed rail to Savannah
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 1:19 PM
In addition to touting some successes and promising to push for light-rail along the Atlanta Beltline and high-speed rail to Savannah, Mayor Kasim Reed told a developer crowd this morning that he's not planning a move to Washington, D.C.:
Are you guaranteeing us you're sticking around till 2017? Yes, Atlanta Mayor @kasimreed tells @atlbizchron Publisher Ed Baker. #CarterBfast
— Tony Wilbert (@twilbert) November 8, 2012
Political watchers had speculated that Reed, one of the President Barack Obama's most vocal and visible supporters, would be appointed to a White House cabinet position. Were Reed to pass the background checks, sitdown interviews, and unpredictable Senate confirmation process to get such a gig, Atlanta City Council President Ceasar MItchell would have assumed the mayor's office until the next regular election.
But Reed, who repeated his intention to Atlanta this morning at a breakfast event sponsored by real estate developer Carter, says he's focused on convincing voters next November that he deserves a second term as Atlanta mayor.
Reed might not have to break a sweat doing so. So far, we haven't heard of any established political figures even considering a run against Reed.
Were they to do so, they need to get moving. According to the mayor's most recent campaign reports, he's sitting on a war chest with more than $1 million and a strong political network that could contribute more cash if needed.
Should no one step up, we could see a repeat of former Mayor Shirley Franklin's 2005 re-election campaign, when her main opposition was Dave Walker, the City Hall gadfly best known for his rabble-rousing performances during the public-comment period in Atlanta City Council committee meetings. Franklin received more than 90 percent of the vote.
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