2018 will be a Big Year in Shreveport Politics
Thoughts of Shreveport mayor and council elections may seem to far away to consider, but such is not the case. Especially to those currently holding office and political “wantabes”.
The terms of Shreveport mayor Ollie Tyler and all seven council members end in December. The primary election for these offices will be on November 6 with run-off elections on December 8.
Tyler is finishing her first term this year. The same is true with council members Willie Bradford, James Flurry, Stephanie Lynch and Jerry Bowman. They all can run for a second term.
Councilmen Jeff Everson, Oliver Jenkins and Mike Corbin are “termed out”. Two consecutive terms is the max for the council (and the mayor).
Tyler will be 74 next January. She has been very very mum on her election plans. She has, however, held a low key fundraiser.
Councilman Flurry will definitely seek a second term. The same is probably true for Bradford, Bowman and Lynch, unless either of them make a run for the mayor’s office.
Bradford (the councilman not the city attorney) may for mayor, but only if he is drafted for this spot.
Bowman’s name has been mentioned prominently for many months. Reportedly he has been courted by a group of doctors from Willis Knighton.
Bowman is said to be aligned with Lynn Braggs and reportedly they are surveying the mayoral candidate field. Braggs was a major behind the scene operative in the campaigns of Tyler and former mayor Cedric Glover.
Braggs has recently been in the news for receiving large payments by companies involved in the water meter/faulty billing problems of Shreveport. There is open speculation that Braggs is the subject of a criminal investigation by the feds.
Lynch’s name just recently popped up in local political circles as a possible candidate for mayor. Before that it was assumed she would seek re-election to the Council and then next year run for Barbara Norton’s seat in the House of Representatives.
Norton is termed out next year and many think she may seek a seat on the Council, especially if Lynch takes her place in Baton Rouge.
Other names floating around for the mayor’s race include Glover or Steven Jackson, his protégée. Jackson just finished up a term as president of the Caddo Commission.
Reportedly state senator Greg Tarver and former council member Theron Jackson are pushing Adrian Perkins, who is dating Tarver’s daughter. Perkins is basically an unknown in Shreveport.
Former Shreveport police detective Rod Demery is also kicking tire. Demery now works for Caddo District Attorney James Stewart.
Demery is well known in many circles and his acclaimed television series “Murder Chose Me” starts its second season next month.
As for candidates for the seats held by Everson, Jenkins and Corbin, no names are being tossed about publicly. Not doubt each of these races will have several candidates, and campaigns may be in the “secret” planning process.
The Council incumbents can also expect opposition.
With 3 Council seats up for grabs with no incumbents, the next Council will have definitely have a totally different persona. And it is not beyond the realm of possibility that there could be as many as 7 newbies on the Council.
And with the chance that a new face could be in the mayor’s office, Shreveport’s government could have a mayor upheaval in December.
Yes, its early yet. But in reality not too early for those seriously interested in Shreveport’s political future.
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