For Wood, the road to Council is easier than mayor’s office
Why Carol Wood thinks her easy primary victory Tuesday was different from her failed mayoral run
Posted
Andy Balaskovitz
Wednesday, Aug. 3 — Incumbent Carol Wood easily made it through the City Council primary election Tuesday, taking 55 percent of the vote. In 2009, she lost her bid for mayor 62 percent to 37 percent to Mayor Virg Bernero.
Wood finished with 4,276 votes Tuesday and lost to Bernero in 2009 by 4,010 votes. So, what’s the difference?
Money, for one thing, Wood said.
“I think part of the message two years ago was the fact that we spent around $40,000, $42,000 in a race and the mayor spent close to $300,000,” she said today on “City Pulse on the Air.” (A podcast will be posted today at www.lansingcitypulse.com. The show airs at 7 p.m. on 88.9 FM The Impact.)
Wood also said 2009’s outcome would “maybe” have been different had voters known Bernero would run for governor a year later.
“There were a number of promises, including on your show (“City Pulse on the Air”), that the mayor wouldn’t be seeking another (office) if he was elected,” she said.
Wood, 61, said she’s still “preaching the same message” today about the importance of quality of life, public safety and strong neighborhoods. She told City Pulse last month that she was undecided if she’d run again for mayor.
Lansing residents narrowed the field of five At-Large candidates to four and five 1st Ward candidates to two in Tuesday’s primary. Two at-large candidates and one 1st Ward candidate will be elected in the Nov. 8 General Election.
The primary election turnout was less than 10 percent, which Wood called “sad.”
“Obviously we want to see many more people out there making those decisions and helping formulate government,” she said. “I don’t know what the answer is (to increase turnout).”
Wood’s easy victory makes a fourth term on Council likely. Fellow incumbent Derrick Quinney, placed second Tuesday with 44 percent of the vote. Rory Neuner and Tom Stewart came in third and fourth, respectively, though their vote total was only 445 more than Wood’s. John Krohn took fifth and failed to make it past the primary.
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