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Jeff Martin shares his predictions for this year's mayoral primary, although he's open to surprises.
Several weeks ago I made the not-so-bold prediction that the race for mayor would come down to Tom Adelson (D) vs. Dewey Bartlett (R). Like I said, when you take the financial and other information into account, this was not an example of me stepping out on a limb in any way. Many people agree with this assumption, and with this week’s primary, we’ll see whether that prediction holds water.
I think that of the two main parties, Adelson holds the tightest grip. And while I am still somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 percent certain that Bartlett will come out on top for the GOP, former talk radio personality Chris Medlock could spoil the party. He's got this populist appeal that Bartlett simply cannot provide with his pedigreed background. But at this stage of the game, I just don’t think Medlock has the money or the time to sway enough voters. But this is why we play the game. We could all wake up Wednesday with unexpected headlines.
Not matter the outcome, when I write the column for next week, we will all have a better idea of who will be occupying the top-floor office at City Hall.
Then comes the hard part: How will we know?
The last two months of the campaign season will be filled with annoying commercials, promises ad nauseum and smokescreens galore. This is the way of late-game politics. And we should not blame the candidates in any way, shape or form. The job is ours to see through the alluring mist of pretty rhetoric (see what I mean).
Go to the debates. Ask questions while you can. Remember: Once the votes are cast, it’s hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
