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Springfield Mayor: November Runoff

 


The mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts has taken his first step toward re-election. On Tuesday, September 12, he came in first in the first-round election.

Incumbent mayor Domenic Sarno has had the job since 2007. He faced four challengers in a non-partisan ballot. One of these challengers was, frankly, an obscure fellow who wants Springfield to host a "Rio-style Carnival." The other three were  the present and two former City Council presidents.

And yes, "Domenic" is the proper though somewhat unusual spelling of his first name. Blogger's spellcheck wants me to write it "Dominic" and so has given me a red squiggle.  I will not surrender!

Sarno did not manage to get 50% of the vote, though he came close (a bit more than 47%). The November run-off will pit him against former council president Justin Hurst (a bit less than 29%). The Carnival guy, David Ciampi, got only the votes of his relatives and close friends. Nobody is even trying to state it as a percentage. One only needs two digits for the absolute number.  

There is no broader national pattern into which I can fit the results. The differences between Sarno and Hurst turn on the usual local political issues: property taxes, garbage delivery, emergency response, and everybody's unhappiness about interference from "Beacon Hill." [The state government's "Capitol Hill.") 

If I have to state some broader lesson, I would say this: media love eccentric out-of-left-field candidates like Ciampi.  They make great copy. But ... Donald Trump began his political career as a candidate like Ciampi. From outside of politics, free to speak things that are outside of the mainstream of discussion (NOBODY else associates Springfield with  the sort of pre-Lent festival Ciampi has in mind), and generally fun. 

Perhaps the disappearance of Ciampi from the league table, fifth behind ALL of the career politicos, shows that the Ciampis of the country have lost their appeal. Being an "outsider" is no longer a charm.  That might be helpful.  

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