Baltimore mayoral candidate Andrey Bundley expressed dissatisfaction this week with the attention being paid to his campaign.
Arguing that his second-place finish in 2003 against then-incumbent Martin O?Malley makes him the obvious front-runner for 2007, Bundley said he was being unfairly ignored.
“In 2003, I wasn?t taken seriously when I ran for mayor against a powerful incumbent who had more money,” he said.
“But I got 32 percent of the vote, which means I have a track record that makes me a front-runner,” he said.
The city school administrator, a former principal, took issue with polls that showed him running well behind both City Councilman Keiffer Mitchell Jr. and Mayor Sheila Dixon.
“Many of my voters are younger, between the ages of 18 and 30, and they have cell phones, so I don?t think polls accurately represent where I am in this race,” he said.
Support for him among city youth was strong, Bundley argued, because he understands the complex realities of the city?s troubled neighborhoods.
“I grew up in difficult circumstances, I lived in five foster homes; young people really believe when it comes to the streets of Baltimore I understand.”
For now, Bundley is calling for a one-on-one debate with Mitchell ? not Dixon.
“I?ve challenged him to a debate between just the twoof us; I want people to know I have a better understanding of the issues,” Bundley said.
Richard Vatz, professor of political science at Towson University, said Bundley may have a legitimate gripe.
“On the one particular point, the difficulty in polling younger voters, I would have to agree with him: Polls can miss younger voters,” Vatz said.
“However, although he got 32 percent of the vote last time, I don?t think there is any one issue, like crime, that is associated with him,” he said. “He may deserve a little more attention, but he overstates what he deserves.”
Meanwhile, Mitchell campaign spokesman Tony DeFranco said his candidate is willing to debate anytime, so long as all the candidates participate.
“Everybody has to be there, from the interim mayor on,” he said. “Our position is that we have challenged the interim mayor to a debate a week, and so far we haven?t been able to get her to attend anything.”
Dixon campaign officials have announced the mayor will participate in several debates on radio and television this month and in September.
