Several black mayoral hopefuls responded on Monday to a widely circulated letter asking some of them to get out of the race to prevent a white candidate from winning.
The letter, sent by defense attorney Warren Brown, said the six black candidates already running could split the black vote. The letter asked the candidates to “coalesce around one” to prevent “the ridiculous scenario of five or more African-American candidates undermining each other while a white candidate is elected.”
But the candidates said the campaign for the city?s top job is about issues, not race.
“It?s not the color of the skin; it?s the content of character. Who said that white people won?t vote for a black candidate, and vice versa,” Clerk of the Court Frank Conaway Sr. said Monday.
Del. Jill Carter, another candidate, said she agreed that electing a black mayor is a priority, but that she did not think it was necessary to limit the number of candidates.
“I say bring them on,” she said. “If the campaign is about issues, it won?t matter who is running; I?ll win,” she said.
“But I think the leadership in the city should represent the demographics,” she said.
High school Principal Andrey Bundley, who ran against Gov. Martin O?Malley in the 2003 mayoral primary, said he was moving forward despite the number of candidates.
“I understand Mr. Brown?s sentiment,” he said. “I know he cares about the African-American community, but I can?t let it distract me from what I?m doing.” Bundley said he would formally announce his candidacy on Feb. 1.
A spokesman for Councilman Keiffer Mitchell, who on Friday declared his intention to run, said Mitchell was undeterred by the number of candidates.
“He?s in it to win it,” spokesman Tony Defranco said.
Mayor Sheila Dixon?s office declined to comment.
Brown said ignoring his plea could hurt the chances of black candidates.
“I can?t imagine that they don?t recognize the diminished possibility of any one of them winning as long as all of them are running,” he said Monday. “For a variety of reasons, there?s a significant segment of the white population that believe the management of government is best left in the hands of somebody white.”
Currently, six candidates have announced their intention to run for mayor: Bundley, Carter, Conaway, Dixon, Mitchell and City Comptroller Joan Pratt, who could not be reached for comment by press time. Brown?s letter also was sent to City State?s Attorney Patricia Jessamy, who has not declared her candidacy.
