2014 Mayoral Election - Page 8

LikeHamilton · #1 Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 4:01 PM**

Brad Clark in race to be next Hamilton mayor

Hamilton Spectator

Brad Clark announced Monday he is running for mayor.
Stoney Creek Councillor Brad Clark is running for mayor.
The clerk's department confirmed the nomination late this morning.
Clark, a former provincial PC minister, is the first new mayoral nominee to file since Mayor Bob Bratina announced last week he will not seek re-election.
Why him? "I can pick up the phone and call ministers; I know them," Clark said shortly after registering.
He noted he came to council being asked to run for mayor, but wanted council experience first. "Now it's the right time for me and the city."
Clark said he spent the weekend pulling together old campaign team and feels there is a real desire from citizens to have a mayor who is an ambassador for jobs
"We did that as ministers at queens park. We did that all the time."
More to come.

LikeHamilton · #2 Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 4:03 PM**

From a very reliable source, Fred Eisenberger will announce on March 28th that he is running.

SteelTown · #3 Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 4:11 PM**

Clark is a smart politician and has all the resources and experience to win. I wouldn't be surprised if he won. It's unlikely Ferguson will run for Mayor now.

Two progressive candidates and a conservative.

mattgrande · #4 Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 4:15 PM**

I did not expect Clark to join in. I agree with SteelTown that this is probably the last we'll hear about Ferguson (and maybe Whitehead, too).

I hope your source is wrong re: Eisenberger. I can't see his platform being significantly different from McHattie, and he'll just end up splitting the vote.

(As an aside, I really wish we had ranked ballots)

PBRSTREETGANG · #5 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 10:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

I did not expect Clark to join in. I agree with SteelTown that this is probably the last we'll hear about Ferguson (and maybe Whitehead, too).

I hope your source is wrong re: Eisenberger. I can't see his platform being significantly different from McHattie, and he'll just end up splitting the vote.

(As an aside, I really wish we had ranked ballots)

Not wrong. I can confirm that he's running. I interviewed him on February 28 for a forthcoming Hamilton Magazine article on the AEGD lands.

PBRSTREETGANG · #6 Posted **Mar 31, 2014, 4:30 PM**

Well, Eienberger told me to my face that he was running, and then he went around and worked the room at the waterfront Williams Coffee Pub with enthusiasm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattgrande

I did not expect Clark to join in. I agree with SteelTown that this is probably the last we'll hear about Ferguson (and maybe Whitehead, too).

I hope your source is wrong re: Eisenberger. I can't see his platform being significantly different from McHattie, and he'll just end up splitting the vote.

(As an aside, I really wish we had ranked ballots)

coalminecanary · #7 Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 1:44 PM**

Why can't someone good and exciting run? We are facing another 4 years of boring crap, nothing getting done.

Dr Awesomesauce · #8 Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 1:59 PM**

Thankless job, innit?

coalminecanary · #9 Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 2:51 PM**

It's only thankless if you don't do anything useful. If you actually get something progressive done, you get a building named after you

thistleclub · #10 Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 3:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by coalminecanary

If you actually get something progressive done, you get a building named after you

Dr Awesomesauce · #11 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 12:39 AM**

^True enough.

If the mayor had some sort of power, of course, you'd see tonnes of big names coming out of the woodwork to take that job. As it stands now, who in their right mind would want to be a single vote on a council of idiots? No thanks. At best it's a stepping stone to something in provincial or federal politics.

markbarbera · #12 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 5:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by coalminecanary

It's only thankless if you don't do anything useful. If you actually get something progressive done, you get a building named after you

Perhaps the new GO Station on James North should be named Britannia Station...

ScreamingViking · #13 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

Perhaps the new GO Station on James North should be named Britannia Station...

With signage promoting the promised future all-day service to Ford Nation.

Just name the station building though, not the platforms... for obvious reasons.

mattgrande · #14 Posted **Mar 28, 2014, 12:33 PM**

Fred Eisenberger is registering for the mayoral race today at 11:30.

thistleclub · #15 Posted **Mar 29, 2014, 3:54 PM**

Ward 1, 2010
Brian McHATTIE: 5,373
Fred EISENBERGER: 4,093

Ward 9, 2010
Brad CLARK: 3,454
Fred EISENBERGER: 2,762

SteelTown · #16 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 1:11 PM**

So if Ferguson runs that's two conservatives (Clark) and two progressive candidates, McHattie and Eisenberger, which should cancel out any vote splitting issue.

oldcoote · #17 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 1:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

So if Ferguson runs that's two conservatives (Clark) and two progressive candidates, McHattie and Eisenberger, which should cancel out any vote splitting issue.

Ferguson won't run. His assault of Joey Coleman killed any mayoral aspirations.

I hope he does though. He'd lose and he'd be off council.

Dr Awesomesauce · #18 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 1:58 PM**

^Assault? I missed this. Was it verbal or physical?

markbarbera · #19 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 5:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldcoote

Ferguson won't run. His assault of Joey Coleman killed any mayoral aspirations.

I hope he does though. He'd lose and he'd be off council.

The average voter's mind isn't likely to be influenced by this event, particularly given the prompt apology by Ferguson and its immediate acceptance from a very gracious Coleman. It will only have lasting influence on the political junkie and the punditry, who really have little influence on the outcome of municipal elections (beyond the kind of armchair quarterbacking we all indulge on blogs like this). I wouldn't be surprised to see his name on the ballot for Mayor.

I am with you for cheering on as many incumbent councillors to enter the race as it will have the effect of wiping a good part of the council clean come November.

On the topic of councillors emboldened by a potentially bigger line in their sights, am I the only one who is having the occasional nightmare that I am watching CHCH News sometime in the not too distant future and hear them talk about Mayor Sam Merulla? I hate waking up from that dream, in a cold sweat and screaming uncontrollably.

HillStreetBlues · #20 Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 2:33 PM**

Coleman’s recounting of Ferguson grabbing and shoving him is here:

While that is a ridiculous way to behave anywhere, let alone City Hall, and we can certainly all be embarrassed for Ferguson, I don’t think it precludes his running. I think most voters would not be aware of the event and that it wouldn’t figure prominently in most voters’ decision-making.