As some political spin doctors get a hold of the numbers and begin the process of justifying their failed political strategies in the recent mayoral election, let me take a shot at interpreting the numbers.  Let’s take a look at the phrase it is “just politics” and see how it is being used to justify Dallas’ most negative and nastiest mayoral campaign. Let me be clear about what I am doing.  First, I am not interested in being powerful, nor am I a great guy. I have highlighted John Price in a number of my columns because for years Mr. Price and his followers have styled him as the most dominant Black political personality in town.  As far as they are concerned, all Black politics must flow through John Price.  I disagree with that notion. I have never said that Mr. Price is finished.  He is just greatly diminished.  Most folks are afraid to write negative stories about Mr. Price and his group.  I am not.  If you don’t believe what I am writing, ignore my stuff and read some of the other fine political columnists on DallasBlog. But negative attacks against me will not stop me from writing the truth. As for whether or not I am telling the truth, investigate for yourself.  Finally, I would like to briefly introduce the newly elected Black City Council members.

The latest spin is that Leppert won the white vote while Oakley supposedly won 69% of the Black vote thus somehow justifying the negative campaign conducted in the Black community by the John Price group.  The figure that those people who opposed Leppert would like to forget is that the Black vote was down 4%.  What that means to me is enough Black voters were turned off by Oakley’s life style, could not see themselves voting for the new Republican guy, and/or could not stomach the negative advertising so they chose to stay at home.  Every Black voter that stayed at home hurt Ed Oakley.  Those of us who follow Black politics realize it was a miracle for Tom Leppert to overcome such demonization and still get 31% of the Black vote.  Nobody who follows Black politics expected Tom Leppert to battle Ed Oakley for the majority of the Black vote.

The John Price group led the charge in demonizing Tom Leppert. Leppert was portrayed as a Republican, white crook who poisoned Black school children. By unfairly manipulating Black folks’ worst fears, the Oakley campaign had hoped for a massive Black voter turn out which is what Ed Oakley needed to offset Tom Leppert in the north.  With that fact in mind, just because a southern sector Democrat who had a good legislative record in the southern sector got 69% of a low Black voter turn-out does not mean that the folks handling Ed Oakley’s Black affairs did a good job. Quite the contrary, by engaging in questionable campaign tactics the John Price group cost Ed Oakley the kind of turn out he needed in the Black community and invigorated white voters in the north.  Interestingly, Mr. Price reportedly is now telling a number of white Republican financiers who backed Tom Leppert that Price’s actions were “just politics”.  You see a lot of those wealthy Republican Leppert supporters have also been financial supporters of Commissioner Price.  I wonder will they continue to support him after he figuratively spit in their faces during this election. I wonder what those diehard Democrats and Black folks who can’t stand Republicans think of Mr. Price’s longtime love affair with Republican money.  I also wonder if those people who were complaining about how Ed Oakley was treated in the media ever stop to think what effect the dishonest negative advertising had on Tom Leppert’s children.  I mean to see your dad falsely accused of being a crook and a person who poisons Black school children certainly wasn’t “just politics” to them.

Now here are the new Black city council members. The most remarkable campaign was in District 8 where Tennell Atkins beat Charles Rose.  What was remarkable is the coalition Mr. Atkins put together. He was endorsed by former District 8 City Council members James Fantroy and Al Lipscomb. Not only did Mr. Fantroy and Mr. Lipscomb endorse Mr. Atkins, they both actively worked in his campaign.  Mr. Atkins has big shoes to fill.

Community activist Carolyn Davis was able to win District 7 to replace Leo Chaney, Jr. by beating Rev. Donald Parrish, Sr.  Rev. Parrish’s ties to the controversial eminent domain advocate, Don Williams, saddled Rev. Parrish’s campaign with the negative perception that he was handpicked to take Black folk’s property for Don Williams.  Ms. Davis put together a nice coalition of Black community folks and white Pleasant Grove voters.

In District 5, Don Hill’s seat, Vonceil Hill beat Betty Culbreath.  Ms. Hill is the only City Council candidate who is directly tied to the John Price group.  Her detractors feel that she will be no more then a hot tempered divisive council member who will race bait issues in order to carry John Price’s water.  I prefer to wait and see if Ms. Hill will use her considerable intellect to move District 5 and the southern sector forward.

And finally, Dwaine Caraway, who was the only Black City Council member that did not need a run off, replaces Maxine Thornton-Reese in District 4.  Mr. Caraway went out on a political limb by seriously campaigning for Tom Leppert.  His gamble paid off.  Mr. Caraway is the closest Black City Council member to Mayor Leppert. That is how I see it from South of the Trinity.

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