Reports are that State Senator Robert Brown is a 'GO" for a run for Mayor of Macon

Yesterday the Macon Telegraph reported that State Senator Robert Brown will most likely run for mayor of Macon in this years municipal elections. The source of this was City Councilwoman Elaine Lucas, who's husband State Rep. David Lucas (D-Macon) has said that he would run for Brown's open seat if that occurred.

A entry by Brown will make this one of the most interesting elections the city of Macon have ever seen. Incumbent Robert Reichert, ex-Mayor Jack Ellis, newcomer Paul Bronson, Macon-Bibb Co Firefighter have all announced their intentions for this race & possibly later on Council president Miriam Paris.

Reichert will be the early favorite to win, but he won't get the 60-65% he got during his first run for mayor. If I were Reichert, Id be worried about Brown, who has a strong political operation that has been credited in helping get out the vote for then congressman Jim Marshall in years in which looked like he was going down in defeat. He did lose last year in the GOP wave election to Austin Scott.

Brown's political acumen & savvy is not to be overlooked, despite his sometimes off the cuff remarks that has drawn the ire of his critics. The key will be can he (Brown) get a good percentage of the white vote, despite African-American voting bloc dominating the citywide elections? And can Reichert keep the support he garners from the black community during his first run when he bested 7,8 other black candidates to win the mayoral race in a rout?

And as to who may run for Brown's open seat, I mentioned State Rep David Lucas being a possible candidate, but can Lucas win outside of his heavily African-American district? Twiggs, Wilkinson & a portion of Houston Co are more swing areas that can go either way than his home base which is reliably democratic.

Expect more candidates to make a run for that senate seat once Brown makes his mayoral run official. One name I've heard is Paul Bronson who is also running for Macon Mayor. The 25 year Firefighter & member of Georgia Army National Guard would be a breath of fresh air for party that desperately needs new blood in its ranks.