Schor’s third-term campaign hits a pothole: Jeffrey Brown

The candidate filing deadline for the Lansing City Council came and went Tuesday with the winner appearing to be Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. 

Despite a late challenge by a City Council member, Andy Schor is a heavy favorite and may play a factor in some of the City Council races. 

Of course, though, the big winner is Chris Swope, who all but won his sixth four-year term when nobody filed to run against him … again. Swope, who turns 58 this year, is a westsider who is involved in his husband’s business at Bradly’s Home and Garden in Old Town.  

Swope wasn’t challenged in 2021, 2013 or 2009. His opponent in 2017, Jerimic Clayborn III, got 15% of the vote. 

The big news on filing deadline day, though, was Councilmember Jeffrey Brown. 

The first-term incumbent ended weeks of speculation Tuesday by filing to run against Schor as opposed to running for reelection for his at-large seat. 

Brown, 41, waited only a few hours before the 4 p.m. deadline to file, and, in doing so, gives Schor at least a mildly competitive challenger as he looks to score a third four-year term. 

Three other candidates ended up filing against Schor, creating a five-way primary, but it’s Brown, who received some business community support in his 2021 run, who will attract the most attention.  

For one, there’s his enigmatic background. How, exactly, does he scratch out a living? Who are his political allies? Where is his base of support? How is he going to fund a longshot bid against a well-funded incumbent, who’s five years removed from the loudest grumblings he’s faced: his handling of the 2020 Black Lives Matters Protest. 

Brown doesn’t talk to the press. It’s not exactly clear where he’s living. He had a positive relationship with the mayor — until he bailed on the city hall project and sided with developer Gary Granger. 

He’ll have some business support, though, and will give the anti-Schor crowd someone to gravitate toward. If nothing else, Brown’s entrance in the race will put some pressure on Schor to stay sharp on the campaign trail and take nothing for granted. 

Meanwhile, Brown’s decision opens up a second at-large seat and turns that race into an 11-candidate free-for-all. 

The presumed frontrunner is Jeremy Garza, the Second Ward Councilmember running for an at-large seat for his third term because he and family moved out of the district for a bigger house. 

Nothing is in the bag for him, though, and there are several other candidates with support. 

Clara Martinez, an Everett High dance teacher, has a lot of friends and is a prime candidate to get Michigan Education Association support. Allegedly, she’s asked for the mayor’s support, so we’ll see what happens with that. 

There’s Tristan Walters, who was appointed to the Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Board and sits as an at-large member of the Lansing Parks Board. The projects coordinator for the Michigan State Police is expected to have the support of some of the other Councilmembers and should be strong on the east side. 

Another candidate with expected councilmember support is Aurelius Christian, an African American and lifelong Lansing resident who’s the development programs coordinator for the Lansing Economic Development Corp. 

His connection to the LEDC may work to Christian’s advantage politically, but some have already questioned whether this would create a conflict of interest if he were to win one of the two available seats. 

Julie Vandenboom can’t be overlooked, given that she missed an elected spot on the Lansing City Charter Commission by 18 votes last May — 10th out of 36 candidates. The eastsider is expected to be a popular choice among the city’s more progressive voters. 

Nick Pigeon, the former executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, is already hitting the doors.  

Olivia Vaden is the president of the Southwest Action Group. Prior to that, Vaden was researcher for Flint Councilwoman Tonya Burns. Vaden is a queer Black woman and a first-generation college graduate, 

And then one of the late filers could be interesting. Gloria Denning has done constituent work in the Michigan and U.S. Senate and knows a little about politics.  

In the 2nd Ward, the presumed favorite is Lansing School Board member Deyanira Neverez Martinez, who got into the race early and is expected to generate support. Her opponent, Erik Almquist, 58, is a newcomer to the area who came from Cook County, Illinois.  

In the 4th Ward, the story is all about Peter Spadafore. Originally, Spadafore was not going to run for a third term after being the top vote-getter in the at-large seat in his prior two bids.  

But after significant feedback from folks across the community, Spadafore reconsidered and decided to seek the 4th Ward seat that Brian Jackson is leaving vacant. 

While viewed as an ally of the mayor — the two are Moore’s River Drive neighbors — the talk on Spadafore is that he’s an experienced, sharp public servant who won’t let the Council dive into rabbit holes. 

Whether he’ll have the fire to run in a small race is the question. 

Heath Lowry, who turns 33 this year, is the president of the Westside Neighborhood Association and former executive officer of the Ingham County Democratic Party. Professionally, he is a staff attorney and policy specialist for the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. 

Lowry serves on the Board of Zoning Appeals and once worked as the legislative director for a former state legislator. A lot of people like him, but whether he’s got the chops to knock of an experienced campaigner is a question. 

Also, a third candidate, Zacharie Spurlock, a Lansing bartender got into the race but will need to work to be a factor.