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Strickland, a lawyer, had made serious noise about possibly making
his own bid, and the first-term councilman attracted more than 1,000
followers on a Facebook page dedicated to drafting him to run for mayor.
Strickland would have emphasized public safety and budgetary issues
as a candidate, but a poll commissioned by his exploratory committee
indicated Wharton's electoral support would be too much to overcome.
Strickland's addition adds more fundraising firepower to an already
formidable organization that has seen Wharton raise exponentially more
money than other declared candidates.
About a dozen people have said they are committed to running in the
Oct. 15 special election, although nearly three dozen people have
pulled petitions from the Shelby County Election Commission to become
candidates.
Hart, the 2008 schools board president, serves as president and chief executive officer of the Memphis Urban League.
Four others were also announced: Darrell Cobbins, owner of Universal
Commercial Real Estate; Ray Peterson Sr., Wharton's pastor at South
Parkway Church of Christ; Lois Stockton, owner of Nail Station and a
community activist; and Jose Velazquez, former executive director of
Latino Memphis and now the deputy director of the National Council of
La Raza's affiliate services. |
