The Race Race

In the battle for the District 6 council seat, the dark horse has a white face

A A A Comments By Jonathan Fox Thursday, Apr 19 2001

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In addition, Caraway recently settled a lawsuit alleging he and his wife conspired to take over Redbird Development Corp., an airport management company at southern Dallas' city-owned Redbird Airport. Tennell Atkins, Redbird's CEO and a former Lipscomb campaign manager now working for Williams' campaign, alleged that Councilwoman Caraway pushed to have a city lease at Redbird terminated after he refused to make her husband a partner in his venture. Neither Atkins nor Caraway would comment on the lawsuit's out-of-court resolution.

Such incidents far from mind, Caraway finished a recent weekend day of campaigning at Fair Park's South Dallas Cafe. He spoke admiringly of the restaurant's collection of sepia-toned historical photographs, which depict shop owners from a once-vibrant black business district in Dallas. Outside of the restaurant was blight and despair, and Caraway wondered what happened. "It goes back to family," he said. "It goes back to church on Sunday."

Mark Graham

Ben Scott, right, listens as District 6 city council candidate Dwaine Caraway campaigns in Arlington Park. Caraway's personable style and role in helping build a rec center in the neighborhood have earned him plaudits from voters.

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Some black political insiders fear that if next month's election comes down to a runoff between Caraway and Oakley, Caraway will lose because of poor voter turnout in the district's black neighborhoods. If Caraway and Councilwoman Thornton-Reese both lose to white candidates, it will rattle the foundations of black politics in Dallas. But Caraway is optimistic. "The race is just getting ready to start," he says. "I'm about ready to run the most aggressive campaign you've ever seen."