Don't You Wish Your Mayor Was Hot Like Me

With endorsements from every black council member in the southern sector, Hill could conceivably make the runoff without ever crossing downtown. But several candidates are hoping to carve up Hill's base, including Oakley, who represents a largely minority district in Oak Cliff, and Wells, who is being endorsed by Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. Even Leppert, who is whiter than a Matchbox 20 single, should run strong in the south. He's won the endorsement of the influential Reverend Frederick Haynes and has enlisted the help of radio personality Willis Johnson as a political consultant.

"My role is to get Tom in front of as many key people as possible," says Johnson. "We've been to citywide revivals, we've been to a South Dallas nursing home, we've met with ministers, we've been to track meets, we've met with the black firefighters' association."

In 2003, when a polarizing Miller was up for re-election, only 94,000 people turned out to vote. The number looks to be even lower this year. Although the race for mayor is crowded, there is not a single candidate, other than possibly Hill, whom people feel strongly about.

The math for the upcoming election is startling. There are seven candidates in the field who have a decent chance to win. If turnout is less than 80,000, which some observers predict, someone can finish in the top two and move on to the runoff with 15,000 votes. Even if turnout is strong, 25,000 votes will likely guarantee a runoff. That also means that the difference between the lucky runner-up and the third-place candidate could be 1,000 votes or fewer.

The math of a small-turnout, big-field election suggests that the way to make it to a runoff is to cobble together a winning coalition of votes without offending any slice of the electorate that may show up to vote. That way at least you have the illusion of control. It's kind of like fishing from a crowded spot; you go about your business trying to catch what you can, without worrying about anyone else or scaring anyone else's fish, lest you scare off your own.

On April 2, six of the candidates for mayor gathered for a mayoral forum at the auditorium of the Dallas Children's Theater in the Skillman-Abrams corridor. The Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosted the event, and its members asked the questions. What could have been a compelling, important debate, however, turned into a clumsy, pandering contest.

"I may be the only candidate here who has a Hispanic campaign manager," Griffith said. "He is doing a superb job."

Not to be outdone, Wells then named nearly a dozen Hispanics who are supporting him, taking special pains to accent their last names. He also pointed out that a Hispanic contractor designed his Web site. Hoping to one-up Wells, Leppert told the audience that he was the only candidate with a separate Web site in Spanish. Jordan, though, topped them all.

"I am remiss in not acknowledging my son-in-law Rudy Rodriguez," he said, more or less out of the blue. "His support means a lot to me."

As well it should. Jordan, like his competitors, can't leave a vote unturned if he's going to make the runoff. As they see it, nice guys really do finish first, or close enough.