by S. Rotan Hale
With a record low turn-out (vote-wise) three candidates rose victorious on a slate of four in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary. Councilman Joe Cobb and Councilwoman Vivian Sanchez-Jones will now head to the general election in November. Joining them will be Peter Volosin who also ran an unsuccessful bid for City Council in 2021. He enters the race with his focus on economic development and says “I’m running for a seat on the City Council because you and your family deserve to live in a place of opportunity now and in the future.”
Although each ran separate campaigns, the three winning candidates vowed to work together in efforts to run a unified campaign moving forward.
Most popular about the city is Councilman Joe Cobb who quite naturally secured the most votes at 3,111– (29%).Cobb, who is not your average politician, shows up everywhere mainly because he’s all about “caring, connecting and creating” as his website clearly points out. Among the issues he advocates, Joe is also chair of the city’s Gun Violence Prevention Commission, a unit comprised of nine citizens with over 80 community partners.
In second place was Sanchez-Jones with 2,710 votes (25%). She is the only Hispanic on the ballot and bases her campaign on creating a “safer, smarter and stronger city” while vowing to push her vision through investing in education and small thriving businesses.
Volson with 2,587 (24%) of the vote enters the race with his focus on economic development and says “I’m running for a seat on the City Council because you and your family deserve to live in a place of opportunity now, and in the future.”
Also on the ballot was Terry McGuire, a newcomer who with 2,309 (22%) votes failed to garner enough to advance to the general election.
The slate of Democrats will face-off in November against Republicans Dalton Baugess, Nick Hagen and Maynard Keller along with independent candidates David Bowers (former mayor), and two local ministers Jamaal Jackson and Preston Tyler.
