RFP Staff
♦ In the crowded first week of Salisbury City Council Candidate Signups, clear front runners in the November election are already emerging.
The early front runners are:
• Todd Paris, the colorful, outspoken, and extremely popular Salisbury attorney is among the upper tier of November’s front runners. Love him or hate him, Todd has developed major name recognition in the city and one of the few candidates who has expressed a platform.
• Kenny Hardin, another heavy favorite, who has built bridges all across the city to communities long left out of the City of Salisbury’s pie. A hero in the West End and major figure in the Chamber, is out there doing the important work of campaigning right from the start. Likely no one in Salisbury has started more initiatives that have impacted a lot of young people than Kenny Hardin. The Tsunami Literacy Program stands out and his work with young persons in their formative years stand. No one can accuse Kenny Hardin of not speaking his mind.
• William Peoples, the “conscience” of Salisbury and long an outspoken critic of city hall, has to be considered among the upper echelon contenders. The steady Mr. Peoples is known and respected all over Salisbury.
• Karen Alexander, the only incumbent yet to file, has major name recognition, but will be linked to the current city council which has fallen into disfavor with many portions of the city since the mutual termination of former City Manager Doug Paris and the cover-up of his exit.
• Rip Kersey, who nearly won a seat back in 2011, has to be considered among the top contenders.
The Dark Horses:
• Pastor Troy Russell, a popular campus minister at Livingstone College. Yet an unknown quality.
• Mark Lewis, although well known in the City of Salisbury and a one time City Councilman, he still drags around the clattering tin cans of being the engineer behind the Fibrant Debacle, the Empire Hotel (here come the developers!) and now “Slide the City”.
• Roy Bentley, an IT with some downtown merchant following. Little is known about him yet outside of the Downtown area.
• Scott Maddox, a former city council person who taught at Salisbury High. An unknown now.
• Constance Johnston, has tirelessly run for many political offices and has so far fallen short.
• W.J. Watkins, a funeral home attendant who manages a cigar lounge. A unknown at this stage.
