RECENT COMMENTS
A case for Joe Morrissey
A recent poll shows Joe Morrissey leading Richmond’s mayoral contest with 29% of the vote and leading in 6 of the 9 districts in the city (3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th). The other candidates are running for 2nd place and hoping that 2 districts can be flipped to force a run-off.
It is undeniable that Morrissey has a tremendous base of support in majority black communities across Richmond, from the East End to the Brookland Park corridor and into Southside.
These are communities that carry the weight for the rest of the city, communities that have not been participants in the city’s recent resurgence of the past 5 or 6 years. If anything, the growth of RVA has only brought the rising rents of gentrification and a threat of displacement, without much in the way of benefits.
These communities that so strongly support Joe Morrissey don’t seem concerned by what others see as his personal baggage. This may even be seen as a strength.
In the East End at least, these are communities that can be dubious of any big plans to remake parts of the community. I’ve seen this manifest in different ways over the years, from skepticism around the planning for the new MLK Middle School to distrust over the intent of the planned Creighton redevelopment.
These are communities where the neighborhood schools are not optional. Other candidates lofty education plans aren’t going to connect here.
As unbelievable as it might seem to much of the city, Morrissey’s candidacy has been embraced by a large swath of Richmond. These communities are saying loudly that they see Morrissey as a man who would be their mayor.
Whatever your personal opinions of Morrissey may be, it would be fantastic for our city to have a man in office who is beholden to Brauers and Peter Paul and Whitcomb and Fulton.
If it comes down to a runoff where its a choice between only Morrissey and Berry, I would take Morrissey without hesitation.
The City really needs to consider ranked choice or instant runoff voting for Mayor.
John, you have accurately described the support that Mr. Morrissey has garnered in the Richmond majority black communities, but I take issue with your personal assessment that it would be “fantastic for our city to have a man in office who is beholden to Brauers and Peter Paul and Whitcomb and Fulton.” Being beholden without accompanying abilities and ideas is worse, not better, for the communities you define and the City as a whole. As Stephen alludes to, in his Mayoral campaign Mr. Morrissey has not presented any specific ideas about housing, education, or anything for that matter. Actually, if you look at his record, Mr. Morrissey has never shown an ability to affect positive change in his elected positions and has never implemented or even presented an idea or plan that increased the quality of life in our community of Richmond. Everything he does, from his pro-bono work in high profile cases to his AK-47 demonstration in the General Assembly, is done solely to draw attention to himself.
The folks in Brauers and Peter Paul and Whitcomb and Fulton may get who they want if Mr. Morrissey is elected, but they won’t get want they need if he is Mayor. There is only one person whose life will be better if Mr. Morrissey is Mayor of Richmond and that is Mr. Morrissey. In the end, I expect that is just fine with him.
So if an office opens up in Chesterfield next year is Morrissey going to move there to run for it. Morrissey represented Henrico an organization that has done far more damage to Richmond than anything else. Moving from one jurisdiction to the other to run for office is slimy as it gets. He should have stayed in Henrico they deserve him.
The part that really ticks me off is how any candidate could have and still could campaign like Morrissey. Show up to everything, knock on doors, build trust. Its legwork and Morrissey has done it well. Thats one reason why we see his signs everywhere.
The reason his signs are everywhere is because he says “I’m just gonna put this here” at the end of every conversation.
He’s a used car salesman selling himself.
It would be beautiful to have people in city government, especially a mayor, beholden to the communities inRichmond that are most in need of a champion. Joe Morrissey is NOT that champion.
The man appears beholden to nothing, no one, no moral or legal code, and while some may find that “refreshing” in a candidate, there is nothing in this mans past or present to suggest he has the wisdom and/or experience to navigate the complex issues affecting, and disaffecting, the residents of the most vulnerable communities. The distrust in several communities throughout Richmond for the “powers that be” is something that is serious and needs to be addressed in a thoughtful and intelligent manner if we truly wish to have an equitable system/city government/school system/the list goes on and on… White people in general, and white politicians specifically, generally concern themselves little with working class black families, neighborhoods, and communities, and the issues and challenges that are affecting a large portion of the city.
I believe that many find it “refreshing” to see a white man who appears to “genuinely” concern himself with working class black people. It is a god damn shame that such little racial outreach and reconciliation has occurred that an obvious “race hustler” like Morrissey can gain acceptance for just showing up at the door. I’ve heard it said time and time again that Morrissey supporters are “uneducated and ignorant” and “don’t read” (to my ears, nothing more than racial code words). Race is insidious, it gets in everything. Morrissey seems aware of this and is capitalizing on it, but not as many have said “by exploiting the black community” but rather simply by talking to people. When there is so little genuine dialogue happening, even a little can go along way.
John (or anyone who knows), I’m confused on how the election runoff rules work.
A candidates has to win 5 districts on nov 8th to win out right.
If a candidate gets the most votes with 40% of the vote in a district, but the remaining 60% is split among the other candidates, does that count as winning the district on Nov 8th? Or does that mean no one won that district?
Super relavent for the 7th and 3rd district based on the latest polls I believe.
Practically in this election, if you can win a district without a majority, the other candidates will have to consolidate before Nov 8th, right? If you must get greater than 50% to win, then a runnoff seems likely.
Anyone know the answer? I’ve heard both answers
I wasn’t going to vote for Morrissey, but now that I know the idea of him being Mayor bothers so many of you, I have changed my mind.
@Stephen – whoever gets the most votes wins the district, no majority needed
@9…I see little difference in what you describe as Morrissey’s “race hustling” and the actions of our very own president and democratic nominee. The democratic party has done nothing but pander to blacks but has done little to break the chains of dependence on social programs leading them to poverty… Why? They want the votes but in reality do nothing to truly help this population. The black population really needs to wake up and assess.
I live in the eastview community of churchill and personally, I don’t care who wins the mayoral race, because none of them are truthful, and they will tell you anything to get elected. But alot of people who live in the eastview community that I know of are voting for Morrissey.
As I stated, I don’t care who wins, but it seems that alot of white people, especially in churchill are offended and bothered by the fact that alot of black people in this city will vote for Morrissey. I’ve known of Morrisssey for 16 years and my wife and stepdaughter know him personally. I’ve seen personally what he’s done for black people in this city, and in the Highland Springs and the Varina area. I used to live a few blocks from his office in Highland Springs.
He has broken his necks for blacks in this city, and he’s done it for years, that’s why he has the support of blacks.
I’ve been in the east end for 36 years and he’s one of the few people who’ve done alot for the black community in Richmond and Highland Springs. As I stated, I don’t care who wins, but if any of you have a problem with Joe, why don’t you put in the years of work that he’s done for minorities in this city and why don’t you run for public office? Don’t make childish remarks about his personal life, who he’s married too, his jail record, etc. That’s childish.If you want to beat him or keep him out of office, then vote, don’t try and slander the man, because that doesn’t erase what he’s done for blacks in this city.
This article says that blacks are dubious to the redevelopment of the east end; yes, we are, especially when we know that the area is being gentrified. I have a home in eastview, and we see what’s going on. We see that their’s and unseen had that’s trying to kick black people out of this city, but when we confront white people about it, or Dwight Jones, they lie and say that isn’t the case. Stop lying!
My point was that people should consider voting for Morrissey, BECAUSE BLACK RICHMOND SUPPORTS HIM, that this makes him a legitimate candidate, that people should take notice of anybody who has deep credibility in East View, in Peter Paul, in Fulton.
I said that the city’s black residents have not benefited from the past 5 or 6 years, not that they haven’t contributed. I said, specifically, “These are communities that carry the weight for the rest of the city”.
I said “it would be fantastic for our city to have a man in office who is beholden to Brauers & Peter Paul & Whitcomb & Fulton”.
I was trying, in my way, to say something very similar to your comment.
@4, 5, and 6, I completely agree with your sentiments.
I’m a black woman who lives in a poor section of the East End and I care about the mayoral race because I live in an area that is completely underserved by the city and its institutions.
I’ve heard Morrissey and followed his campaign closely because he seemed like an outsider that could possibly bring some new ideas to the table. I could give a damn about what he did/does with his wife. What I have seen of him is someone with very little by way of new ideas/policies as it relates to some of the significant problems plaguing the majority of East End residents (e.g. drug abuse, job training, good schools, etc.).
What I do see is someone that is on constant attack mode at some “white establishment political machine” which he somehow is not a part of because he is “down” with black folks–because his wife is black, because he has punched some people, and because he has given some black folks down on their luck some money and/or done them some favors.
These are reasons why, I, as a black woman who lives in the East End, will not be voting for Morrissey. And black folks living in the East End are not monolithic. Morrissey and a lot of the posts here reflect the simplistic reasoning and approaches used to solving complex problems. I appreciate Ingold’s comments about the little dialogue that does happen, and what a little could actually do.
We gotta do better.
He punched some people? Who did he punch? I knew about the statutory rape but the punching is new to me.
Morrissey reminds me of Marion Barry in DC: white people still can’t figure out why black people voted him back into office after his prison term. But the fact that black people did vote him back into office did not make him a good mayor.
So many people commenting about how Morrissey does not gave solutions to an individuals problem. I know that Richmond is a democrate stronghold and all but damn. It’s not the goverments role to solve your problems. Take some personal responsibility and handle your own business.
Myrna Pride’s father Coleman was on a one man protest of Joe Morrissey at the 2nd St Fest this weekend handing out t-shirts that explain “What Joe Did” to his daughter
https://twitter.com/GregMontalto/status/782265346191392768
https://twitter.com/GregMontalto/status/782270030230749184
Here is his website that has a redacted copy of the plea Joe took. LOTS of interesting details for those who want to know the truth.
>> http://www.sayno2joe.com/
Coleman used the word “brain washer” to describe how Joe has DIVIDED his family
If I remember right, Dwight Jones sought –and got– the support of the same districts that are polling for Morrissey.
Kissing babies and shaking hands does not equal real commitment to substantively support any population, or the ability to run an effective city government.
It’s not a race for best friend, it’s a race for mayor. I’m going to vote for someone who seems likely to be a good mayor, not the one who most desperately wants to be seen as my friend. That’s an old, tired move.
Judgement and discipline matter.
I find it disturbing that anyone would use this forum to prop up a man who spent time in jail and began a relationship with an underage girl. There are laws here that do not allow people that spent time in jail, paid their dues, to even vote. And he gets to run for mayor…why? Morrissey is a troublesome figure and based on his poor past choices should not be allowed to even run for mayor let alone receive props from CHPN.
I went to the Mayorathon event Thursday night and have to say two things: (1) I wasn’t inclined to like Joe because of his well-publicized personal failing, (2) Anyone watching that event, who went in cold, not knowing a single thing about Joe, would have (I submit) been under the impression that he was the most serious, substantive, and knowledgeable person on that stage. You might say I’m having a bit of a personal crisis about this election now.
As black folks, if we do not want to reinforce prejudices, then we shouldn’t vote in a monolithic block for politicians that race bait and think they have a right to our vote. We can’t excuse criminality, endorse candidates with zero moral fiber, and expect respect! Somebody mentioned Marion Barry – not only did he not do anything for DC, to this day he’s trotted out as an example of why black folks have poor judgement!
If we want respect, we can’t nominate/vote for someone JUST because they are black(i.e. Marion Barry), and we can’t excuse pedophilia and consistently awful judgement/character just because someone likes to go to bed with young black girls – lots of different ones. It’s insanity and makes everyone look like uneducated, immoral, gullible fools.
I don’t know who I’m voting for, but it’s definitely going to be someone I’d proudly and confidently let my daughter intern for…