Three candidates qualified last month to run for Atlanta mayor despite money, history and name recognition all being on the side of incumbent Andre Dickens’ bid for a second term.
Atlanta mayors have a long track record of being reelected. Dickens cemented his plan to join that list last month when he submitted paperwork and a $5,500 fee to formally launch his second mayoral campaign.
But three political newcomers visited City Hall to do the same. They are Helmut Love Domagalski, a corporate consultant; Kalema Jackson, a former Atlanta police officer; and Eddie Andrew Meredith, a community advocate.
The group is up against the power of incumbency, along with Dickens’ political capital and hefty $4 million war chest raised so far to fund his bid.
The three challengers are counting on grassroots campaigns to drum up support and looking to capitalize on the frustrations of residents who feel the current administration hasn’t delivered on some of its promises.
On a Sunday at Washington Park, nestled amid the historic neighborhoods of the city’s west side, residents pitched canopies, fired up grills and huddled around televisions to watch the Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Football fans not only lamented Tampa Bay’s win but also discussed ongoing issues plaguing their neighborhoods.
Drug-related crimes remain high, they said. Atlanta’s streets are riddled with “potholes the size of the city.” Many said they could barely afford groceries and felt the current political systems are leaving vulnerable residents behind.
It’s those voters, frustrated with the current political status quo, who may opt to cast ballots for a token challenger in November instead of the city’s incumbent.
Eddie Andrew Meredith
Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal
Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal
That weekend, Meredith went from tent to tent with members of his campaign team, passing out fliers promoting his bid for mayor to Falcons fans.
“You’d be surprised at how many people I talk to who are just regular people, working regular jobs, who can’t afford to live in a residence or an apartment,” he said. “People that are just one emergency away from a financial disaster.”
The Oakland, California-native moved to Atlanta in 1993 and grew up in the Old Fourth Ward, where his father was a pastor at Tabernacle Baptist Church. Meredith said his teenage years were spent helping the faith community run programs for vulnerable residents.
“I grew up in a family where we just believe in investing in people,” he said. “Imagine the work that I could do as mayor of Atlanta, imagine how many people that I can help in that position.”
Meredith owns a small business selling premade meals and has a large social media presence. But, he said, he isn’t unaware of the obstacles of launching a mayoral bid without a political background and against a high-profile incumbent.
“I don’t know the first thing you know about being a politician, but I do know the first thing about serving my neighborhood,” Meredith said.
Meredith’s platform includes a focus on bolstering affordable housing and launching free, trade and technology-focused youth programs.
He wants to create “safe sleep zones” for vulnerable residents and pilot guaranteed basic income programs for families. In the city’s budget, he said, he wants $50 million to be dedicated as community funds so that residents can choose where it is spent.
Meredith also wants to expand transit routes into underserved areas and launch free fare programs. He also wants to use city resources to make sure all Atlanta residents have Internet access.
Helmut Love Domagalski
Domagalski — who campaigns with the name of Helmut Love — is a self-described “strategic problem-solver” with a history of working as a consultant for major companies, particularly in the health care sector.
He has a biomedical engineering degree from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from Northwestern.
Domagalski said the city of Atlanta’s history of corruption and recent feud between the former inspector general and Dickens ultimately pushed him to launch his mayoral bid.
“We’re so obsessed with what’s going on nationally — the most important decisions are those that are local,” he said.
A Republican and LGBTQ nonprofit founder, Domagalski’s campaign messaging focuses on voting “the political machine out of office” and a six-point, tech-focused plan for Atlanta’s future.
“I can bring Republican mindset and dollars with a Democratic heart,” he said.
Domagalski believes the city needs to better leverage the private sector talent and technological advancements like AI.
“There’s so much money for our city in all of these innovations,” he said, for example, “let’s do a ride-sharing app for transportation. Any sales from the app, we get ‘X’ percent.”
Domagalski’s also wants to deepen the city’s international ties and push financial literacy and technology-focused school curriculum. And increase “anti-corruption” efforts inside City Hall.
In terms of Atlanta’s budget, Domagalski wants to appoint a budget-cutting leader to save money without cutting city services.
“That’s why this is a more interesting role for me than going to do some other political role, because this is where the rubber hits the road,” he said.
Kalema Jackson
Kalema Jackson was an Atlanta police officer for more than a decade and now feels he can utilize his public safety background as a mayoral candidate.
And as a President Donald Trump supporter, he said, he would focus on working to regain federal funds slashed by the current president’s administration for Atlanta’s housing and infrastructure efforts.
“I feel we need consistency,” he said. “You need to have someone in the state’s capital city, that is in alignment and in support of the governor and the president of the United States.”
Jackson said he believes Democratic policies haven’t been successful at moving Atlanta forward. The west side resident said infrastructure dollars are crucial over the next few years to both fix crumbling roadways and the city’s dilapidated water system.
Police recruitment efforts are also a focus of Jackson’s campaign.
“We need police, we need more police officers, and also more that are serious about enforcing the law,” he said.
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