CINCINNATI (AP) — The race to succeed Cincinnati's first directly elected black mayor so far has no black candidates.
With Mark Mallory not allowed to seek re-election to a third, four-year term because of term limits, a city with a majority-minority population currently appears likely to elect a white mayor in November. The leading candidates are former city councilman John Cranley and current Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls, a former mayor.
Both have strong vote-getting records and fundraising ability, and that appears to be deterring some potential candidates.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports (http://cin.ci/XDKzLf ) that while some political observers find it concerning that no black contenders have stepped forward, some black political veterans say it's not a big worry. They just want to have a mayor who will represent the diverse city well and responsively.
___
Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com
