With 2 of the 6 Columbus mayoral candidates left, whom do the other 4 endorse?
With the Columbus mayoral runoff election day of June 16 less than a week away, if any Muscogee County voters still seek more information to decide which candidate to support, this article might help.
The runoff for the mayor’s race is between former city manager Isaiah Hugley, who received 45% of the initial round of votes among six candidates May 19, and Columbus Councilor Joanne Cogle of District 7, who finished second with 25%. Mayor Skip Henderson couldn’t run for re-election because city law limits the mayor to two four-year terms.
The Ledger-Enquirer wondered whether the four candidates who didn’t qualify for the runoff are endorsing either of the two candidates in the runoff, and if so, why. Here’s what we found:
Chris Breault
In a June 8 Facebook post, lawyer Chris Breault, who finished third with 13% of the vote, endorsed Cogle.
“Mr. Hugley is a nice older man and I met him and shook his hand after all of the Debates,” Breault wrote. “He is a nice fellow, but I don’t believe he will do much to change the trajectory of the City of Columbus. Our parks suck, our roads suck, the city looks like (s---). The City Government doesn’t maintain anything — they kept the pools closed for 8 years and then blame the kids for getting in trouble when they have nothing to do. We don’t have one (1) working water fountain at any of the parks in the entire City of Columbus.
“All of that is Mr. Hugley’s fault. He collected a $200,000+ a year salary as the City Manager — the MOST POWERFUL person in the City Government—and did a mediocre job running things. The City Manager has the power to hire and fire the heads of ALL city departments and ALL employees of the City Government. We have a ‘weak mayor system’ where only the City Manager, NOT THE MAYOR (like in most cities) can hire or fire the people in charge of keeping up our Roads, Parks, Infrastructure, Trash Collection etc. Hugley had all of that POWER for TWENTY-ONE (21) years, and didn’t get the job done.
“Other cities all across Georgia run better, look better and provide a much higher Quality of Life than Columbus under Hugley — I’ve seen it with my own eyes all across the state. The Columbus of today is a worse place than the Columbus of 20 years ago. The City is in Decline: The Employers are leaving, the Progress is lacking, things aren’t getting better. The outcomes for children are worse, and it’s been that way for a long time.”
Breault also wrote, “With Hugley, you know you are going to get the same-old, slow, backward Columbus, GA. With Cogle, at least you have a chance at getting something different. She’s not from Columbus and that’s a GREAT thing. If she sucks, then we vote her out in 4 years. We already know Hugley sucks. That’s why I’m voting for Cogle.”
Jaketra Bryant
Licensed professional counselor Jaketra Bryant, who finished fourth with 9% of the vote, told the Ledger-Enquirer she isn’t endorsing either of the mayoral runoff candidates.
“I was running myself because I didn’t see that either one of them were addressing issues like homelessness, mental health, literacy within the schools, inclusiveness,” she said. “… And I still don’t see those things being looked at closely.”
Asked which candidate she will vote for, Bryant said, “I’m not sure I’m actually going to go vote. … I actually may take more of a coalition stance. I’m going to join a couple of boards related to housing and economic justice, and I’m going try to support some coalitions centered around ending gun violence.”
Bryant, however, spoke more favorably about Cogle than Hugley, when asked for her opinion about them.
“Looking at the relatability that they have, I definitely don’t see it coming from Isaiah,” she said. “I think Cogle has a little bit more heart than he has. I think he is a lot more detached.”
Asked for examples, Bryant said, “There is a lot of issues that Columbus faces that are very one-sided, right, like only-Black communities and only-Black churches, and that is a huge issue, and I see Hugley just still sticking with that, and I have seen Cogle at least try to discuss and address (stray animal control). I’ve seen her at least try to discuss some of the things with the jail, and I haven’t seen Hugley even try.”
Steve Kelly
U.S. Army veteran and S&J Contractors co-owner Steve Kelly, who finished last with 3% of the vote, told the L-E he endorses Cogle.
“It is time for change,” he said. “In Columbus, we have seen what the leadership has done, and what they have not done in the city for decades. Yes, sometimes change does take time, but it does not take over four decades.”
Hugley worked in the Columbus Consolidated Government for 41 years, including as city manager for 20.
Asked what change he thinks Cogle is more equipped to bring than Hugley, Kelly mentioned “more opportunities for our children.”
“I want to see more with our parks and recreation as a whole,” he said.
Kelly noted, at debates and other public forums during the campaign, he often heard Cogle advocate along with him for more activities and opportunities for youth.
“That is something that I think she will really bring,” he said. “When you look at it, our pools were closed for eight years. That’s lost opportunities for our kids.”
Kelly criticized Hugley for “failing infrastructure” while he was city manager. Kelly also said he appreciates Cogle emphasizing more support for small businesses than Hugley.
Referring to the investigation of the Columbus Finance Department while Hugley was city manager, and a majority of the city council voting to fire him, Kelly said, “I think there’s a lot of controversy behind Isaiah … and I’m not sure how that will go (with him as mayor) working with the local government, with the city council, and especially outside of the city. To be honest, I don’t know how that will be looked at.”
Mark LaJoye
U.S. Army veteran and former Columbus police officer Mark LaJoye, who finished fifth with 5% of the vote, declined to answer whether he endorses either of the mayoral runoff candidates.
“I’ve got nothing to say,” he told the L-E. “Good luck to them all.”
