CIVIL WAR!!!
You guys have no idea about how long I have been waiting to write that headline with exclamation points. With respect to last week’s local election results that swept Republicans in Indianapolis into the Mayor’s office and control of the City-County Council, I figured if one party lost either slot there would be infighting and soul searching taking place. But with the GOP in, and Democrats out, a war is about to break out that will make the War of the Roses seem more like the Rose Bowl parade.
Here’s why, many white Democrats are mad at elected officials like Monroe Gray because he became the face of the party through advertising and voter angst and his own actions which motivated a lot of Republicans and independent voters to come out; on top of the taxes. Secondly, there is talk Black Democrats on the Council will try to nominate Monroe Gray as minority leader over current Vice-President Joanne Sanders. Arguing Gray was unfairly attacked in the media and their loss was not his fault.
Now to add insult to injury, with Democrats losing the Mayor’s office, it is very unlikely Congresswoman Julia Carson will run again because of health reasons so there is no leader for Democrats to rally around. And to add another intricacy to this puzzle, although some Blacks are publicly complaining that Mayor-elect Greg Ballard is trying to take control of IMPD from Sheriff Frank Anderson, they are privately upset that Anderson has handpicked Kerry Forestal, his top deputy who is also white, to take his place when he steps down in 2010. They are mad that they are going out on a limb to keep IMPD under the control of a Black Sheriff so he can just turn it around and give it to a white guy.
Look for these Democrats to rally around another Black candidate to take on Forestall in the primary; that Democrat will likely be Center Township Trustee Carl Drummer. Drummer has strong ties in Center Township which is crucial for any Democratic victory in Marion County, and being Julia’s favorite doesn’t hurt either. Of course no one will admit any of this publicly. It would be the equivalent of fighting over granny’s silverware and she’s not even in the grave yet.
But trust me, these discussions are taking place and a battle is brewing. I hope you love the smell of napalm in the morning, because there’s a lot of it coming.
