Although the Atlanta mayor’s race is a year away, prominent gay political players are already beginning to take sides.
Current City Council President Lisa Borders, who’s held this post since 2004; Atlanta City Councilmember Mary Norwood; and state Sen. Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta) have announced their intentions to seek Mayor Shirley Franklin’s job. Franklin steps down in January 2010 after serving the two allowed terms.
Borders has enlisted a large campaign committee including several notable gay residents. They include Rabbi Joshua Lesser of Congregation Bet Haverim; Jamie Ensley, president of the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans; Darlene Hudson of ZAMI; Atlanta Pride Executive Director Donna Narducci; 7 Stages director Joe Gfaller; and YouthPride director of programs John-Paul Griffin, among others.
Reed’s gay support state includes state Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) and Larry Pellegrini, a lobbyist and executive director of the Georgia Rural Urban Summit.
Gay neighborhood activist Paul Zucca, who unsuccessfully ran for the Atlanta City Council in 2001, and Mitzi Bickers, who ran for Fulton County Commission chair in 2003 but lost, are among the prominent gays supporting Norwood.
Consumer advocate radio host Clark Howard is considering a run, but if he declares his candidacy he would have to suspend his radio program through the duration of the campaign.
Former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard, who became Georgia’s first openly gay elected official when she won a spot on the Atlanta council in 1997, decided against running for mayor because she recently accepted a position with CARE.
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