Aman, Kaiser, Mitchell sign up for Atlanta mayoral campaign contributions
The race that will really affect your quality of life is starting to firm up
Outgoing state Rep. Margaret Kaiser, D-Atlanta, has also filed her paperwork, though the restaurateur has long been clear about her intent to run. She joined the state House in 2007, and sits on the Education and money-budgeting Appropriations committees. She’s said that she’s concerned about Downtown development, particularly around Turner Field.
Aman, a partner in Bain and Company’s Atlanta office, plans to make a formal announcement in the next day or so, an Aman spokesperson has confirmed. That launch will come with an outline of his platform and proposals for the city.
Aman’s run would be an experiment in whether a wonkish consultant with plenty of City Hall experience but little name recognition can beat men and women who are more used to the rough-and-tumble of public politics. Aman helped Mayor Shirley Franklin’s administration with pro bono research on how to optimize city government, and served an extended term as Mayor Kasim Reed’s COO. He may also have the support of a particular well-connected Democrat.
Mitchell, a lawyer, joined Atlanta City Council in 2001 and considered a 2009 mayoral bid, but opted to run for council president instead. He’s rumbled with the mayor over the Atlanta Beltline-Atlanta Public Schools payment dispute. He touts his record on parks and greenspace projects and on economic development.
One thing worth noting about the timing: The Georgia Ethics Commission last week filed a complaint against Mitchell’s leadership political action committee, accusing it of failing to register with the commission and not filing campaign disclosure reports. Mitchell told Fox5’s Dale Russell, who first reported the story, that the complaint was “frivolous” and “bares no facts and is filled with inaccuracies.”
CL contacted Mitchell and Kaiser and will let you know what we hear. See their filings yourself at the Georgia Government Campaign Finance Commission website. (Update April 25: We did hear back from Kaiser. She said she is serving out her full term as state representative but is also getting her mayoral campaigning underway.)
The trio joins former City Council president Cathy Woolard, who started her campaign last year and was the only well-known candidate to file a disclosure and report raising cash. Woolard reported raising approximately $150,000 from elected officials, local wonks, and LGBT heavy-hitters. She’s put the Beltline and transit on her priority list and would also be Atlanta’s first openly gay mayor.
Debra Hampton and Kimberley Johnson Obasuyi, two relatively unknown political hopefules, have also filed disclosures with the city but report raising no money and having no cash on hand. Other candidates rumored to be running include state Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall, and from what we’ve heard, Atlanta City Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms.
We’ve also heard former Mayor Shirley Franklin’s name mentioned. When asked by CL yesterday in an email about the rumor, Franklin expressed some amusement at the rumors, adding “Next year is local election year. For now I am living day to day and hoping for major Democratic victories in the presidential and Congressional races.”