I guess the 2010 Blytheville mayoral election was so much fun, we're going to do it all over again in 2014.
For those who recall, the 2010 race was more or less a contest between James Sanders, who was then the outgoing Mississippi County sheriff; and Tommy Abbott, who was then simply a "local businessman." Carol White was also on the ballot, as was R.L. Jones, although Jones had withdrawn from the race and stopped campaigning by the time Election Day rolled around.
Out of the 3,838 votes cast in the four-way general election that year, Abbott led the way, with 1,741 votes, compared to 1,412 for Sanders. (White garnered 641 votes, and Jones picked up the other 44.) By percentage, Abbott received 45.36 percent of the vote, while Sanders had 36.79. In fact, Abbott was only 179 votes away from topping the 50 percent threshold that would have given him a clear victory, and avoiding a runoff.
But there was a runoff, held two weeks later. And the results were different. This time around, Sanders came out on top by a razor-thin 34-vote margin, with 1,613 votes (50.53 percent), over Abbott's 1,579 (49.47 percent). Between the general election and the runoff, Sanders gained 201 votes, while Abbott lost 162.
If Abbott had simply held on to the votes he had in the general election, he would have won the election. But runoffs are often about voter turnout, and Sanders was more successful in mobilizing his support.
But that was 2010, and this is 2014, and while the candidates appear to be the same, the backdrop is different. Now, Sanders is running as the incumbent mayor, with a four-year track record for voters to evaluate. And Abbott is running as Councilman Abbott, having been elected to the City Council in 2012.
And there could be more candidates. Sanders made his re-election bid official on Saturday, after Abbott got into the race earlier this month. But there are several months before filing will close, and it's anyone's guess whether or not anyone else will join the campaign.
But for now, it looks like a Sanders-Abbott duel, a sequel to the 2010 edition.
One thing interesting about this race is that with both candidates already playing integral roles in city government, neither can run as the "outsider" or as the "reform candidates."
For instance, the handling of city finances is usually an issue in a race like this. And it probably ought to be an issue this time around. But whether you are frustrated with the state of Blytheville finances, or if you think the city is making great strides (or both), Mayor Sanders and Councilman Abbott probably share the blame or credit. After all, Sanders, as mayor, is the city's chief executive. And Abbott is chairman of the city's Finance Committee. It's hard to see a contrast between the two candidates on this issue.
Sanders obviously intends to run on his record. Announcing his candidacy Saturday, Sanders took credit for navigating the city through the IRS crisis, as well as parks upgrades, a new fire truck, a new Public Works facility, a reduced ADEQ settlement and a new fuel card system for city vehicles. He also noted that city's tax rate had dropped, and said he had reigned in city spending.
In contrast, during his announcement speech on March 14, Abbott emphasized a theme of leadership, pledging to bring integrity, work ethic and a business mind to the office of the mayor. He also pledged to have a diverse and qualified leadership team, if elected.
In many ways, the campaign could probably come down to personality. Citizens will tend to vote for the candidate they know and/or respect, or for the candidate they most identify with.
But it ought to be a good race. These two candidates have squared off twice before, and each has come out on top once. Perhaps the 2014 election will finally settle the score.
aweld@blythevillecourier.com