An Exit Strategy for Dearborn Councilman Thomas?
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
Councilman Doug Thomas
So Dearborn Councilman Doug Thomas wants to “keep ’em guessing” on whether he decides to run for mayor or for his current city council seat. At least that’s what he told the Dearborn Press and Guide in its April 29 edition on why he pulled petitions for both positions.
Thomas has until 4 p.m. on May 15 to make a decision, the deadline for candidates to decide.
From where we sit, our guess is that it appears Thomas is setting up his exit strategy from Dearborn politics altogether.
In recent years, Mr. Thomas has had a poor attendance record as a councilman. So much so that the Dearborn Democrats club at a meeting in August 2007 discussed a recall effort because of it. The councilman was spending more time at his Florida home than he was at his elected job in Dearborn or his home here, which he has been trying to sell.
Let’s face facts. Running for mayor against sitting Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., is a non-starter. O’Reilly likely will be mayor until he decides not to. He is just that strong.
So why might Mr. Thomas be considering such a run? Is it a way to go out with a bang, running for the top job in City Hall even though a loss is inevitable? We think it might be. He was elected to his fifth term as a Dearborn councilman in November 2005 and running for a sixth term won’t be a cakewalk.
There could be as many as 26 people running for seven council seats this election. If Dearborn voters head to the polls this November with the mindset that major change is needed in our city, no sitting councilmember will have it easy.
This should be interesting race to watch.