Candidates practice the art of politics
Baltimore Sun, United States
Sitting in the shade of their white tents, most vendors here sell photos or paintings, crafts or jewelry. But a handful of people showed up at Artscape yesterday to sell an idea — that they are the best candidates to lead Baltimore.
Among the most well-attended festivals in the city — organizers estimate 500,000 will have come by the end of today — Artscape offers political candidates a one-stop spot to shake hands, talk about their platforms and recruit campaign volunteers. Many are taking advantage of the captive audience.
Most arrived with an entourage wearing colorful T-shirts, waving yard signs, placing campaign stickers on any shoulder within reach. As they slid their way through the crowds, people yelled out and the candidates responded with a wave and a smile. This, one could argue, is also a form of art.
“This is where Baltimore comes. You see such a cross section of people, such a diverse crowd. This is the city fair,” said city councilman and mayoral candidate Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. as he walked down Mount Royal Avenue surrounded by volunteers. “Plus, they have the best sausages.”
Eight candidates are running for mayor in the Sept. 11 Democratic primary campaign, and four are running for City Council president. But street-level canvassing, the door-to-door battle for votes — which is particularly important in a city race where people might not be paying close attention — is just getting under way.
Mayor Sheila Dixon, who has held the position since January and who is running for a full four-year term, arrived yesterday to announce the winner of the Billie Holiday singing competition — a traditional mayoral function.
“You run into a lot of people at Artscape,” said Dixon, who also traveled with a crew of volunteers in tow. “People come from all over the city, and it gives you an opportunity to just have access to a huge crowd.”
Dixon, who also held an event here Friday night, took a minute from the handshaking to admire some of the visual art for sale along the avenue. At one point, she leaned over and tried on a beaded bracelet from a vendor who had placed his jewelry on a blanket in the grass.
Donald Richmond, a city resident, watched from the nearby shade.
“I love her. I think she’s doing a good job,” he said. “I really think she’s fighting. Everybody else out there, I don’t know.”
As Mitchell made his way along the same street, he stopped to speak with many of the police officers at the event. A lemonade in hand, he took questions from attendees about how he would deal with the rise in homicides and shootings as well as the city’s school system. His volunteers were busy signing up others for the campaign.
“We’re looking for someone to help us out with the Baltimore city school system — to raise standards, raise expectations of our students,” said Helen Barksdale, a Baltimore resident who had just finished speaking with Mitchell.
Artscape, the city’s annual festival of performance and visual arts, takes place in the 11th City Council District. That seat is open this year — it is currently held by Mitchell — and nine candidates have filed to run for it.
“I walked here from Reservoir Hill today,” said one of those candidates, Adam S. Meister, who was holding his own campaign sign. “I know a lot of people working here, and they’ve offered to put my signs up.”
A recent poll conducted for The Sun showed that 47 percent of likely Democratic voters support Dixon for mayor, with 15 percent saying they would vote for Mitchell and 28 percent undecided. Schools administrator Andrey Bundley got 4 percent, and state Del. Jill P. Carter and Circuit Court Clerk Frank M. Conaway received 2 percent each.
The poll showed a much tighter race for City Council president, with the incumbent, Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake, statistically even with neighborhood advocate Michael Sarbanes — both of whom turned out to campaign at Artscape. City Councilman Kenneth N. Harris Sr. received 8 percent of the vote.
Rawlings-Blake was one of the first candidates to wander through the festival yesterday. She was drawn to a number of the jewelry stands, but also to a booth selling three-dimensional models of the nation’s sports stadiums, past and present, including Memorial Stadium.
“It’s a good place in general,” Rawlings-Blake said. “This year I just have an excuse to spend more time.”
Sarbanes came later — all business in dark suit pants and a white button-down shirt. In addition to his regular cadre of campaign volunteers, he had his two sons helping out.
“Artscape is one of the institutions that we have that brings together the whole city and really celebrates what’s great about Baltimore,” he said.
john.fritze@baltsun.com
