The coming citywide election isn’t all about money.
If it were, Mayor Carlo DeMaria would be the winner.
As reported last week, DeMaria’s war chest stands at the $100,000 level.
No one wanting to be the mayor of Everett is even close by a long shot.
Alderman Robert Van Campen’s political war chest is a two man mini submarine compared with DeMaria’s, which is aircraft carrier level.
Van Campen has $5,673 on hand right now to initiate a campaign for mayor.
But he won’t.
Van Campen has wanted to be mayor for the past decade.
He is not so unlike many Everett public officials who would all like to be the mayor of Everett.
Van Campen’s public profile as a lawyer, as a family man, as a smart guy who has put his time in has come up against a DeMaria who has done his homework.
Bottom line, Van Campen wouldn’t have much of a chance of unseating the mayor.
He doesn’t have the money. His base isn’t wide enough. Mostly though, he doesn’t have the fire in his belly to take on DeMaria.
Then there is Alderman Joe McGonagle.
He, too, would like to be mayor. He even ran once before, unsuccessfully, which now seems like ancient history even though it was only four years ago.
McGonagle has shown himself to be a decent man, a nice guy who has many friends.
But he’s only got $2,300 in the bank and his only other major support is Alderman Mike Marchese.
Marchese has $232 in his political account – but you’d have to be crazy to think Marchese isn’t capable of placing $100,000 in his account if he really feels like running or aiding someone else in their run.
Marchese’s base added to McGonagle’s base doesn’t equal Van Campen’s base – and all of them don’t add up to the mayor’s base.
Right now, it appears as though the mayor has woven a bit of magic during an era where just about everything has changed
The local economy is different. The city has changed almost radically during the past five years. The city continues to change.
DeMaria has enjoyed an administration relatively free of strife without a hint of wrongdoing and by and large, he’s got the support of Everett’s voters and frankly, it shows.
DeMaria is humble enough about his position.
“I’m very lucky and proud to have so much support,” he told me last week.
Right now, he can’t be beaten.