I put in the question mark because there’s been no official decision, but from the tone of this story, City Councilman Nick Mosby is going to run.
Mosby, who says he’s wanted the city’s top job since age 8, said Sunday he’s “seriously considering” a run for mayor. Already, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and former Mayor Sheila Dixon are in the field of candidates. But Mosby says he can offer voters something they can’t: “New energy.”
“I know I can lead the city,” he said. “I know I have the managerial skills and the experience to do so. We can’t expect these old leaders to take us in a new direction. Baltimore is hungry for change.”
While only two candidates - incumbent Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and former mayor Sheila Dixon - have formally announced their candidacies, the list could get a lot longer.
Political analysts believe the race for Baltimore mayor could get crowded in 2016. In addition to Rawlings-Blake and Dixon, State Sen. Catherine Pugh, State Del. Jill P. Carter, and Councilman Carl Stokes are considering runs. Author Wes Moore, an educator and army veteran who had previously ruled out running, recently began leaving the door open to entering the race.
Mosby would be a strong candidate, says Matthew Crenson of Johns Hopkins University, but there could be issues around the fact that his wife, Marilyn a mossy, is Baltimore State’s Attorney.
“The voters have heard from Sheila Dixon and the mayor, and they’re probably a little tired of them,” he said. “Sheila Dixon is tarnished by the conviction and Rawlings-Blake by the riot.”
He said Mosby’s biggest issue may be a perceived conflict-of-interest in office, given that his wife is the city’s top prosecutor.
“His campaign is going to be a little complicated by his relationship with the state’s attorney,” Crenson said. “He already had to cancel one fundraiser because they used his wife’s image. On the other hand, she’s given him a ready-made national reputation. It might be that the voters will be taken with that.”
My sense is that there is more upside than down in the relationship between Nick and Marilyn Mosby. But he does need to be careful to avoid further stumbles over the ethics of how he handles the situation.
From what I hear, Nick Mosby is probably the favorite going into the race. But there’s a long road to travel between here and April 26.
