Mayoral candidates denounce email about black voting strategy

By Charles Edwards

Atlanta, GA – Today, a widely circulated email telling black Atlantans how to vote in the Mayor's election pushed race to the forefront of the campaign.

3 weeks ago, the Atlanta Black Leadership Forum had a meeting. One of its members, Aaron Turpeau, says they talked about forming a strategy for the mayor's race.

TURPEAU: "Black folks need to come up with an agenda for the black community just like every other organization have agendas and for the benefit of the black community."

Turpeau says the group asked two political science professors at Clark Atlanta University to figure out who African-Americans should vote for.

Their response was City Council President Lisa Borders. Here's their thinking. There are 5 major candidates in the race 4 who are black. That will split the black vote triggering a runoff against the major white candidate: city councilor Mary Norwood. Turpeau says he and the professors agree Borders is the black candidate with the strongest polling numbers who can attract support from white business leaders in downtown Atlanta. Even though Borders appreciates Turpeau's support, she's not flattered.

BORDERS: "I reject the analysis by Aaron Turpeau. He is absolutely wrong. I oppose anyone of any race who would distract us from what is most important today."

Border called Turpeau today.

BORDERS: "I asked him what happened. I indicated to him I was incredibly disappointed that we would have something like this happen at this point in our life in Atlanta."

Someone else who wasn't amused is State Senator Kasim Reed. He's one of the 4 black candidates in the race.

REED "This campaign should be waged on the merit of each candidate not the color of the candidate's skin."

Reed does not agree with the forum's logic.

REED: "But I do believe that we're on ground that we have not visited in more than a decade. We're on ground where we have a qualified white candidate that has served on the Atlanta City Council."

That candidate, Mary Norwood, told WABE she not paying attention to what the forum has to say.