by Josh Resnek
It is never too early to toss such ideas around.
Can a well known, highly regarded household word in this city like Jason Marcus hold off a relative newcomer in one of the most hotly contested races this season?
Marcus has name recognition. He’s been around for years. He’s won more than he’s lost and he has tended to always comeback.
Marcus is in comeback position right now.
He has been posting signs all over the city.
“I wish Ms. Martins the best,” Marcus told the Leader Herald.
“I am going to campaign hard as I always do. I am going to rely on the voters of this city who have elected me time and again,” he added.
In fact, at this moment, only At-Large Candidate first timer businessman Al Lattanzi has more signs up than Marcus who is perceived as a sign king by those who follow politics in this city.
The real sign king in this city, it is turning out, is Councilor Anthony DiPierri. He has been putting signs up for Lattanzi at the request of the mayor.
He did the same for the rep in the last election.
Martins has lived here for 7 years.
She’s run once so far without success.
This time around she is back with a real well established plan. She has a social media platform – Internet site and Facebook page and she has organizers and workers, people plotting out how to identify her vote and how to get it out.
She says running against Marcus will take a great deal of effort.
“I am working very hard to place myself in contention,” she told the Leader Herald.
Can Marcus come back after being out of office?
“Of course he can,” said Councilor at Large Wayne Matewsky. The perennial ticket topper stopped short of saying Marcus could beat back Martins.
“She is smart and she is ambitious. If the cards fall right for her, she could be victorious,” said Matewsky. “It is always hard to know how the vote will go citywide,” he added.
Indeed.
The winning candidate between Martins and Marcus will need to carry the ward vote at the very least.
Both candidates are mobilized and working hard right now – and it is very early to be working hard.