With the run-off for Gainesville mayor’s seat three weeks away, both candidates aren’t wasting any time mobilizing forces for one last round in the political arena.
After narrowing down the field of mayoral candidates from five to two last week, Gainesville residents will choose between City Commissioner Craig Lowe and businessman Don Marsh in the April 13 run-off.
Lowe, who received 40.13 percent of the vote, failed to secure the 50-percent-plus-one majority required for nomination.
But a crucial factor in securing the nomination for Gainesville mayor may lie with those who didn’t make the cut.
The candidates are eying the 2,523 votes Monica Leadon Cooper, who finished in third place, picked up in last week’s election. At this time, Cooper has not endorsed either Lowe or Marsh.
Richard Selwach, who finished fourth, gave his support to Marsh while Ozzy Angulo, who finished last, endorsed Lowe.
“I got a chance to speak to (Lowe) about the issues that affect our community,” he said. “I realized we had the same views on a lot of the issues, just a different avenue for approaching them,” Angulo said.
Lowe attributed his success to his campaign staff and volunteers, who worked until 15 minutes before the polls closed on election day to secure votes.
“The people who work on my campaign are wonderful,” he said. “I couldn’t be more satisfied.”
Despite his favorable outcome last Tuesday, Lowe said he will continue to campaign with the same vigor as before.
“I’m the same candidate that I was in the first election ... I’m going to put it into the hands of the voters,” he said. “I’ll make the case for a positive future where we protect our neighborhoods and environment, attract economic development and ensure that everyone is treated fairly.”
Marsh, who finished nearly 11 percent behind Lowe, said that the key to convince people that he should be Gainesville’s next mayor is to illustrate the danger of the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site and the potential biomass plant.
“I’m trying to mobilize people who are afraid of being poisoned,” Marsh said.
Although he admitted that he was “very uncoordinated and disorganized” in the beginning, Marsh said he feels confident in the direction of his campaign.
He has a campaign headquarters and said that he has someone working on trying to get more student support, although he declined to elaborate.
“I don’t wan’t to give up any ground,” Marsh said. “You don’t know what will make the difference.”
While some view the race from a partisan perspective — Lowe maintains a liberal platform and Marsh has a strong backing from conservatives — both candidates emphasized that they are after all people, regardless of political party.
“Partisan politics only serve as a smoke screen,” Marsh said. “This [election] goes beyond partisan politics.”
