Former two-time councilman, former clerk of courts, former mayor, former state senator, former congressman, former Ohio gubernatorial candidate and two-time candidate for President of the United States, Dennis Kucinich defies the adage that there are no second acts in politics.
With his Horatio Alger story, boyish charm, and 50-plus years of being hail-fella-well-met, Dennis Kucinich has amassed a following, name recognition and a likeability factor that leave other politicians in awe. Even though he has occasionally fallen on hard times — his 1982 income tax return showed an income of $38 — like the energizer bunny, he just keeps on ticking.
His legions of primarily white, west-side ethnic constituents have a decade’s long history of support for the former boy mayor. They dust off their Dennis signs no matter what office he runs for and cast their votes.
But even with Duracell batteries, how long does his political energy last? At what point do those loyal fans age out of the campaign scene, die, move to Parma or Florida, or transfer their allegiance to another political movement or candidate?
Such loyalties are seldom passed down like DNA, especially in a rustbelt city like Cleveland where younger generations tend to flee for greener pastures when they reach voting age. But come midnight on September 14 after the votes for the mayoral primary are counted, we can answer the question: Can the 75-year-old Dennis Kucinich be a comeback kid/senior citizen yet again?
In its endorsement of Justin Bibb for mayor, the Plain Dealer editorial board could not have been clearer in their message — anybody but Dennis. A recent review of his performance at the latest mayoral debate by Scene magazine rated him poorly.
The comic book-style, eight-sided, neon-colored anti-Dennis piece that was recently mailed to voters by Beachwood-based Citizens for Change Political Action Committee is a classic example of mudslinging. The message is clear: “Dennis Kucinich Has Been a Menace to Cleveland for 44 years.” Page six claims that Dennis is a “race-baiter” and asserts that he defended and supported former President Trump on right-wing Fox news. What more vicious attack can be made against a Democratic candidate?
Seeking support in Cleveland’s black community, Dennis’ campaign recently mailed out a picture of their candidate shaking hands with former President Barack Obama. Since Kucinich voiced in numerous venues that he believed the President [Obama] had committed impeachable offense*, I doubt that Obama will be endorsing him — a fact that black voters should remember.
This week Dennis’ campaign mailed a picture of Dennis on the stage with a group of black clergymen in 1978, marking the Martin Luther King holiday. Granted, the photo goes back to the days when he was the mayor, but it’s interesting that he had to go back 43 years to find a picture of himself with some black folks. His website features a picture with the late Mayor Carl B. Stokes — another photo out of recent antiquity — and a more recent photo on his website includes a decent number of people of color.
With no obvious support in Cleveland’s black community, will those aging images be enough to win over enough black voters in an election year with seven candidates — three whites and four blacks?
Candidates Basheer Jones, Zach Reed and Sandra Williams, with natural constituencies in the black community, are all proven vote getters, although first-term Councilman Jones only won election to represent Hough Area Ward 7 by 13 votes four years ago.
Newcomer Justin Bibb, who lacks the natural constituencies of his opponents of color, has become the darling of the Plain Dealer and elements of Cleveland’s white community. This week he landed the endorsement of former Mayor Mike White. But how much traction does that carry with the black folks standing in line at Dave’s Supermarket on Chester or Lee Harvard or waiting for the bus on Public Square? Bibb has a lot of signs, but signs don’t vote and signs on the roadside mean nothing. Signs in the front yards of individual voters are what count.
Former State Senator Sandra Williams, as the only woman in the race could attract female and undecided voters, although her campaign has been seemingly lackluster even with the endorsement of defeated congressional candidate Nina Turner.
Former councilman and former mayoral candidate Zach Reed has really been pressing the flesh, getting out and about and seems to be everywhere. His loyal base will serve as a good asset to his campaign. But will that be enough?
The candidacy of Council President Kevin Kelley will cut into Dennis’ traditional base among white voters. It is unlikely that the endorsement of outgoing Mayor Frank Jackson and Ward 9 Councilman Kevin Conwell and his wife County Councilwoman Yvonne Conwell will swing many black voters. Kelley must rely on his roots on the west side and attempt to take votes away from Dennis.
Though hardly seen as a front runner, little-known candidate Ross Dibello will garner some votes, primarily in the West Park area where he lives and is known. Those votes could factor into the final analysis since they will take votes primarily from Kelley and Kucinich. If the Kelley/Kucinich margin is close, the DiBello vote could prove to be a deciding factor, as well as the votes garnered by Bibb, who is likely to get more white than black votes.
A lot of voters are undecided. Come September 14 they will have to make a choice. With Cleveland’s record of being the first major city in the nation to elect a black mayor, this election may prove to be one that political analysts will study for years to come. If black votes are split between the four black candidates, coupled with voter apathy in the black community, Kucinich and Kelley could become the finalists to face off in the November election, as some pollsters have predicted.
If that happens Dennis will face his ultimate and hopefully his last hurrah. Can he keep on ticking or do his batteries finally run out of juice? We can all be Monday morning quarterbacks on September 15.
C. Ellen Connally is a retired judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court. From 2010 to 2014 she served as the President of the Cuyahoga County Council. An avid reader and student of American history, she serves on the Board of the Ohio History Connection, is currently vice president of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument Commission and president of the Cleveland Civil War Round Table. She holds degrees from BGSU, CSU and is all but dissertation for a PhD from the University of Akron.
*Correcting the Record on Dennis Kucinich
By C. Ellen Connally
Earlier this week I wrote an article entitled “Can Dennis Kucinich Keep on Ticking?” In that I article I stated that “Kucinich was the sole Democrat to join Republicans to sign onto a bill that sought Obama’s impeachment.” That statement was a misrepresentation of the facts. It has since been corrected in the story above.
A more correct statement of the facts is that Kucinich voiced in numerous venues that he believed the President had committed impeachable offense as it relates to the United States bombing of Libya in March of 2011.
On media interviews with CBS and Fox News and other outlets Kucinich reiterated that statement. Specifically, on March 21, 2011, Kucinich told CBS news that “it was an indisputable fact” that Obama had committed impeachable offenses. His position was voiced in articles in the Huffington Post as recently on Nov. 17, 2017. On July 13, 2017, the Daily Beast published an article entitled “Dennis Kucinich’s Campaign to Impeach Obama Over the Libya War.”
As reported in the Washington Post and available on court records, Kucinich joined with seven Republican and two Democrat Members of House of Representatives in a lawsuit against President Obama on Jul 15, 2011. In an action entitled Dennis Kucinich -vs- Barack Obama filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (Case No. 11-1096) Kucinich and the other plaintiffs allege multiple violations of the U.S. Constitution by the President relating to the bombing of Libya. Ultimately, Judge Reggie B. Walton granted a motion to dismiss the case stating that Kucinich and his fellow plaintiffs, including Ron Paul, (R-Texas) failed to have standing to bring the action.
Hopefully this will set the record straight.
2 Responses to “COMMENTARY: Can Dennis Kucinich Keep on Ticking?”
Mel Maurer
Kucinich was Trump before Trump in total lack of responsible leadership.
Zaida Delgado
Dennis will keep on ticking.