MOre Times Bias.....

St. Petersburg's African-American vote aligns with candidate Kathleen Ford

Mark PuenteMark Puente, Times Staff Writer? ?


Saturday, June 8, 2013 4:30am

ST. PETERSBURG — A month ago, campaign signs for the mayor's race were a rare sight in the city's predominantly African-American neighborhoods.

Now a sea of red, white and blue "Kathleen Ford for Mayor" placards dominate intersections and side streets in pivotal neighborhoods south of Central Avenue.

The surge came immediately after Goliath Davis, one of the community's most influential leaders as well as a former police chief and city administrator, proclaimed that Ford is a viable candidate to lead the city.
candidate is winning over black voters

Are the signs a result of Davis or simply coincidence? It depends who you ask.

"It's who people like," said Lonnie Anderson, 67, as he sold produce out of the back of his truck on Sixth Avenue S last week. "I like what Goliath said, but people still make up their own minds."

Even though the Aug. 27 primary is still nearly three months away — an eternity in politics — local polls and yard signs seem to show Mayor Bill Foster and challenger Rick Kriseman aren't wooing many voters in predominantly black neighborhoods.

Two issues are driving the political talk in Midtown: The February closing of the Sweetbay Supermarket in Tangerine Plaza and the May 31 closing of the Pier.

People are discussing the issues in barber shops, beauty salons and churches.

The Pier controversy is helping Ford, a former council member. She unsuccessfully sued the city to try to force a public vote on the inverted pyramid's fate.

"Kathleen is against the Lens," said Carlton Gregg, 60, who heard Ford speak to the congregation recently at New Faith Free Methodist Church in Wildwood Heights. "She has her finger on the pulse of the black community. If the mayor isn't taking our ideas into consideration, he shouldn't be mayor."

That message appears unified throughout the African-American community.

"I'm sure she'll do better than Foster," said Yvonne Clayton, 73, who has a Ford sign in her front yard. "She will listen and communicate with all the people."

• • •

Winning over black voters is considered crucial to landing the city's top job.

The city's majority black neighborhoods often vote as a near-monolithic bloc and have sided with the winner in recent campaigns.

Foster, 50, carried the vote over Ford in 2009, but his support could be slipping.

"I don't see anything he has done," Laminka Williams, 39, said while sitting under a dryer at the House of Styles on 18th Avenue S. "He says one thing and does another."

Janett Albritton said she drove a Ford sign into her Harbordale yard for one reason: She doesn't like the way Foster holds "secret meetings" on major issues and refuses to speak afterwards.

She knows the praise Davis heaped on Ford but said residents are engaged in the race. She grew agitated while recalling how Foster forgot that Sweetbay officials visited his office two years before the store closed.

"Ford is the best thing," said Albritton, 63, a part-time receptionist at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "Right now, she is listening to us."

The primary, Foster said, is nearly three months away and that all votes are important.

He pointed out his administration is working to create a community redevelopment area in the neighborhood along with readying the historic Manhattan Casino for a soon-to-be restaurant. He expects more development to follow.

Foster also said he initiated the African American Heritage Project and had blighted homes removed from the Childs Park and Melrose neighborhoods.

"I think the area is better because of our emphasis," he said. "There's a lot there."

A Tampa Bay Times reporter found one Foster campaign sign in the neighborhood, but residents there did not answer the door.

"It has been less than a week since we planted our first sign in the city," Foster said. "Give it time."

Kriseman, 50, said he is confident he'll win black support as the campaign progresses. He pointed out that Ford lost black precincts in earlier races to Foster and former Mayor Rick Baker.

"I've spent my entire career fighting for values aligned with the African-American community, which is why Kathleen Ford's record has troubled me," he said. "What voters want is someone who is a unifying figure for St. Petersburg. That's what I bring to the table."

Ford said she is glad that residents want a new leader.

"I'm very appreciative of the support I've received throughout the city," Ford said. "I've told everyone that I'm going to work hard. I will speak wherever people want."

A recent telephone survey shows her gaining traction.

Among 325 black voters polled on May 30, Ford beat Foster, taking 38 percent to his 21 percent. Kriseman won 9 percent.

Twenty-six percent of black voters said they were undecided, according to a poll done by StPetePolls.org and commissioned by local blogger Peter Schorsch. The poll has a margin of error of 5.4 percentage points.

In a two-way contest among black voters, Ford beat Foster 52.5 percent to 26.5 percent. Twenty-one percent were undecided.

Clayton, a retired teacher, said she believes Ford will improve education for the city's children. Foster, she said, hasn't pushed the city forward.

"I can't think of anything he has done to help," she said. "He can't remember conversations he tells people. Maybe he shouldn't have been mayor."

• • •

Making her third bid for mayor, Ford still carries the reputation of being a polarizing figure among City Hall staffers. She also stoked controversy weeks before the 2009 election when she used the racially charged acronym HNIC, or Head Negro in Charge, while discussing Davis on a radio show.

But a new public image could be emerging.

While speaking last fall at a memorial for Spc. Brittany Gordon, an Army intelligence analyst and daughter of assistant police chief Cedric Gordon, Ford talked about the friendship between her daughter and Brittany Gordon.

Moses Holmes, 77, walked away impressed.

Ford had a "harsh and draconian" image prior to the memorial, Holmes said.

But she came across as "softer and more passionate," the retired lobbyist said.

"I saw a different side of her. It changed my mind. I told her she should show the public that side."

Foster vowed that he will battle for votes:

"I will challenge anyone to show me what Mrs. Ford has done for the community in the last four years."

Mark Puente can be reached at mpuente@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8459. Follow him at Twitter at twitter.com/markpuente.

St. Petersburg's African-American vote aligns with candidate Kathleen Ford 06/08/13 [Last modified: Saturday, June 8, 2013 11:45pm]
© 2013 Tampa Bay Times

The future to getting more uncertain each day. The Times agenda is clear as day. The coalition alliance is no longer a secret. Wengay's agenda is clearly being guided by Ford's desire. Go's making back door deals. The coalition is hoping their alignment with the devil who two years ago was a racist is proof of their desperation to avoid extinction.

It's time to get involved and support our Mayor or all the progress we've made will be taken away at the drop of a dime. Ford does not like us and will surely drop the hammer. Get involved before its too late!!

I have to support Ford in this. I want someone in office who will put into place every policy desired by the coalition. Look at it as an experiment in liberal policies. The libs think they can engineer a perfect utopia of peace, harmony, and equality. Let's give them the chance and see what happens. If the liberal policies fail, you can say "I told you so" and move the f&ck out of town.

Ford had better be careful in aligning her statements, positions, and promises with the black community to get their vote. She may lose a lot of non-black voters who envision her behavior as being a representative of liberal, racist, blacks and that she is making a deal with the devil to get elected. :devil:

I have to support Ford in this. I want someone in office who will put into place every policy desired by the coalition. Look at it as an experiment in liberal policies. The libs think they can engineer a perfect utopia of peace, harmony, and equality. Let's give them the chance and see what happens. If the liberal policies fail, you can say "I told you so" and move the f&ck out of town.

We already tried that under the leadership of Co'D. Lots of good things happened. Crime went up. Turnover was at an all time high of between 70-90 officers a year. The staff was conditioned to be unable to make any decisions on their own (which is still in existence.) Criminals were promoted. It was total utopia.

Sounds like it's time for officers to put in applications elsewhere. It's a definite possibility that L.W. could be chief come a Ford victory and that would be absolutely devastating.

Sounds like it's time for officers to put in applications elsewhere. It's a definite possibility that L.W. could be chief come a Ford victory and that would be absolutely devastating.

The next mayor needs to have a national search for the next chief--the same way it is done in all non-corrupt cities. A new chief has no local ties, no baggage, brings in new eyes, and gets respect until he/she no longer earns it. Anyone who promotes any person presently employed by SPPD is ignorant and looking for major social problems. :shock:

In the alternative, the next mayor could get the taxpayers to vote to have the PCSO take over all LE activity. That would save a lot of taxpayer money, bring in needed additional resources, and also eliminate the present cabal within the dept. :lol:

Even with the lower pay I'd love to see PCSO take over. Don't think it'll ever happen though.

I have to support Ford in this. I want someone in office who will put into place every policy desired by the coalition. Look at it as an experiment in liberal policies. The libs think they can engineer a perfect utopia of peace, harmony, and equality. Let's give them the chance and see what happens. If the liberal policies fail, you can say "I told you so" and move the f&ck out of town.

This is what they've been doing in Detroit for the last 51 years, and look at how the city is a complete war zone. Crime is through the roof, most of the city is burnt rubble, the Police Department is nearly bankrupt, and there are nights where no ambulances are available even for serious/life threatening injuries[YouTube]http://youtu.be/Yp0O0Za73QM[/YouTube]. The last republican mayor left office in 1962 (of course he was convicted of tax evasion in 1969), and since then the democrats have enacted everything liberals like Ford and GoD would like to see happen in St. Pete.

While I strongly believe this city deserves all it has coming to it, I don't want to see Ford in office just for the purpose of the city falling even more to pieces... a L.W. chief or a return of GoD to the city management or even PD is too frightening... I agree SPPD needs to be allowed to do a search nationally for a new chief, however we all know what happened last time they tried that... they found someone with a backbone who wanted to fix the department and was forced out because of that.

I've been hearing more and more officers saying they're planning on applying to PCSO or TPD should Ford take office, and I'm starting to believe they're serious rather than just blowing off steam... I know I'll be one of them should that happen!

Be Safe.

I have to support Ford in this. I want someone in office who will put into place every policy desired by the coalition. Look at it as an experiment in liberal policies. The libs think they can engineer a perfect utopia of peace, harmony, and equality. Let's give them the chance and see what happens. If the liberal policies fail, you can say "I told you so" and move the f&ck out of town.

This is what they've been doing in Detroit for the last 51 years, and look at how the city is a complete war zone. Crime is through the roof, most of the city is burnt rubble, the Police Department is nearly bankrupt, and there are nights where no ambulances are available even for serious/life threatening injuries[YouTube]http://youtu.be/Yp0O0Za73QM[/YouTube]. The last republican mayor left office in 1962 (of course he was convicted of tax evasion in 1969), and since then the democrats have enacted everything liberals like Ford and GoD would like to see happen in St. Pete.

While I strongly believe this city deserves all it has coming to it, I don't want to see Ford in office just for the purpose of the city falling even more to pieces... a L.W. chief or a return of GoD to the city management or even PD is too frightening... I agree SPPD needs to be allowed to do a search nationally for a new chief, however we all know what happened last time they tried that... they found someone with a backbone who wanted to fix the department and was forced out because of that.

I've been hearing more and more officers saying they're planning on applying to PCSO or TPD should Ford take office, and I'm starting to believe they're serious rather than just blowing off steam... I know I'll be one of them should that happen!

Be Safe.

Well said.........I hope your buddies are planning on moving their families out of the Burg (If they live there.) The problem with Detriot style "Policing" is that Officers families are also victims of the "Let the Animals run free" attitude....

"There is another class of coloured people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs."

~ Booker T. Washington, Republican, 1911