Its high time we added this topic!  The race is only 11 months away.  While there's a lengthy list of speculation on who might run, not many have officially declared yet. Some recent activity:

 

Kevin Kelley, President of City Council launched a site "Kevin Kelley for Cleveland" (https://www.kevinforcle.com/) but he doesn't say he's running for mayor.

 

This guy--DID declare--but is likely a long shot:  https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2020/10/29/west-park-attorney-launches-outsider-cleveland-mayoral-campaign

 

And Kucinich just filed papers to run, but didn't officially announce yet. 

 

And, Hizzoner hasn't ruled out a fifth term...

 

Edited December 8, 20204 yr by Pugu

13 hours ago, Pugu said:

 

And Kucinich just filed papers to run, but didn't officially announce yet. 

 

 

Tracy Jordan will be elated at this news.

 

But seriously, what is it with all of these old politicians wanting to be mayor of our major cities? Kucinich in Cleveland, David Mann and Wendell Young in Cincinnati. Retire in peace and let the next generations step up.

Cleveland needs a mayor that is younger and with fresh ideas, not an old retread.

He's on his way...and he'll be announcing early January

^and he is....[just a clue or title, if not a name]

He is currently Chief Strategy Officer for a non profit.  Early 30's.  Good guy and would make a fantastic mayor

^Justin Bibb?  I heard he's been plotting a run. But not sure he really has what it takes to be a good mayor.

Here's another person who has officially declared he's running (so two total): Arthur Kostendt, a 29-year old Republican from Hudson. And he's a got a 330 area code on his website, not even savvy enough to use a 216 number.  https://www.aok4cle.com

15 hours ago, Pugu said:

Here's another person who has officially declared he's running (so two total): Arthur Kostendt, a 29-year old Republican from Hudson. And he's a got a 330 area code on his website, not even savvy enough to use a 216 number.  https://www.aok4cle.com

My name is Arthur Oliver Kostendt. I was raised in a sleepy subdivision in Hudson, Ohio. The occasional family trip to Cleveland was always the perfect cure for suburban doldrums --- the density, the energy, the ELECTRICITY. Most especially, the accessibility for pedestrians, transit users, and bicycle riders – if I’d only lived in the city, I wouldn’t have been dependent on Mom and Dad to get everywhere! 

_____

 

I already like him better than everyone else lol.

24 minutes ago, surfohio said:

My name is Arthur Oliver Kostendt. I was raised in a sleepy subdivision in Hudson, Ohio. The occasional family trip to Cleveland was always the perfect cure for suburban doldrums --- the density, the energy, the ELECTRICITY. Most especially, the accessibility for pedestrians, transit users, and bicycle riders – if I’d only lived in the city, I wouldn’t have been dependent on Mom and Dad to get everywhere! 

_____

 

I already like him better than everyone else lol.

 

I went to law school with him. He has some problematic opinions on criminal justice and law enforcement. Here's a quote from his position essay on crime, "The solutions are simple but require a tremendous effort to execute. We must prescribe consequences to crime that are certain, swift, and brutal." Grammar mistakes aside that is scary. His other position essays are just bad policies also. Cursory looks at them show a lack of understand of the actual underlying problems in Cleveland. What's the benefit of getting rid of technology in the classrooms in CMSD. 

 

He's running on a law and order platform and a return to the glory days. It's not forward thinking or modern, it's small c conservative and regressive. 

 

 

20 minutes ago, PLowCLE said:

 

I went to law school with him. He has some problematic opinions on criminal justice and law enforcement. Here's a quote from his position essay on crime, "The solutions are simple but require a tremendous effort to execute. We must prescribe consequences to crime that are certain, swift, and brutal." Grammar mistakes aside that is scary. His other position essays are just bad policies also. Cursory looks at them show a lack of understand of the actual underlying problems in Cleveland. What's the benefit of getting rid of technology in the classrooms in CMSD. 

 

He's running on a law and order platform and a return to the glory days. It's not forward thinking or modern, it's small c conservative and regressive. 

 

 

 

Wow. I suppose I won't be subscribing to his online newsletter! 

 

On 12/8/2020 at 10:37 PM, Pugu said:

^Justin Bibb?  I heard he's been plotting a run. But not sure he really has what it takes to be a good mayor.

 

Cannot overstate how well Justin Bibb will play:

 

1. To people under 40

2. To people who are transit/pedestrian oriented

3. To people who want a pro-business growth strategy

4. To people who care about modernizing Cleveland's government and infrastructure, to the extent possible

5. To people who want an individual who's cut their teeth outside of government. 

 

My friends and I are primarily Republicans (or recovering Republicans) and Bibb is the first time a lot of us have been excited about a city-wide candidate. 

55 minutes ago, YABO713 said:

 

Cannot overstate how well Justin Bibb will play:

 

1. To people under 40

2. To people who are transit/pedestrian oriented

3. To people who want a pro-business growth strategy

4. To people who care about modernizing Cleveland's government and infrastructure, to the extent possible

5. To people who want an individual who's cut their teeth outside of government. 

 

My friends and I are primarily Republicans (or recovering Republicans) and Bibb is the first time a lot of us have been excited about a city-wide candidate. 

 

This guy sounds very impressive.

 

https://www.justinbibb.com/bio

Justin Bibb is a principled and intelligent guy. 

As someone who does not live in Cleveland (just on the other side of W117 in Lakewood), but as a Cuyahoga County resident I could not be more excited at the prospects of Justin Bibb as mayor of CLE. I echo all of the positive thoughts shared above.

1 hour ago, surfohio said:

 

This guy sounds very impressive.

 

https://www.justinbibb.com/bio

 

I think he truly strikes to both right and left in Cleveland. 

 

To the left - he understands the need for investment in walkable and transit friendly neighborhoods; he understands the need for modern and progress governmental reform; he understands the need for opportunity in marginalized neighborhoods.

 

To the right - He understands that we can't tax our way out of problems; he wants to leverage local institutions of higher ed to anchor businesses here; he understands an over-regulated city won't attract and retain growing businesses. 

I'm a big fan of the Bibb.

Late to the discussion about Justin Bibb, but I attended a virtual fundraiser with some folks (and some UO folks I presume 🧐 [thanks for the invite @mack34]) but he hit on so many things that permeate on UO. As a 31yo city dweller and explorer I'm super energized by everything he had to say!

 

Quick notes I took: 

• Wants to streamline Permitting Process
  • Create a Customer Service Office
• Intentional Govt
  • Attract young and dynamic talent and make sure city workers look like the city they work in (MPLS did a similar study, not sure what this would accomplish, but I digress)
• Try and eliminate some of the risk averse nature of the city (gave some examples of how Cle operates in the stoneage)
• Create a Department of Transportation
  • Intergovernmental Authority between city, county and region (NOACA? but hyper focused to the city)
• 10 year strategy of getting momentum going in right direction
  • Says if elected, he'd run for another term to see this plan out (he was very humble with this)
• Wants to hire "an amazing COO"
• First thing: reinstate public comment at meetings
• Embrace the amazing resources that we have in our colleges and universities in order to keep and retain new graduates with energy and new ideas that the city needs

From the Q&A:

Q: How do you keep young people here

• Quality Education
• Solid, smart mayoral appointments
• w/o quality schools, it's hard to retain and attract families [that otherwise exit the city when they have children]

Q:Police

• Improve Arbitration Process
• Need police from the beats they're policing
• Consent decree not working as it was intended
• Be very intentional with budgets
• Better align police calls and social work

Q: (mine 😎) How do you see technology being used to benefit the city as a whole (eg. Pittsburgh, Detroit, etc.)

• Admittedly I was too busy listening to take great notes, but he's done his homework in this regard and gave a few examples of how cities have embraced technology and how he wants to bring in the best of the best to move the city forward. Here are my general takeaways: 
• Create an office of Civic Tech and Innovations
• Office of Urban Mechanics
• Tech Advisory Council
• Upgrading the city's website🥳

Q: Positively speaking what do you see Cleveland having that we can leverage?

• Once there's a laser focused goal we can get it done. It's an advantage of cities our size.

 

"2021 is going to be a reset"

Edited December 31, 20204 yr by GISguy

23 minutes ago, GISguy said:

Late to the discussion about Justin Bibb, but I attended a virtual fundraiser with some folks (and some UO folks I presume 🧐 [thanks for the invite @mack34]) but he hit on so many things that permeate on UO. As a 31yo city dweller and explorer I'm super energized by everything he had to say!

 

Quick notes I took: 

• Wants to streamline Permitting Process
  • Create a Customer Service Office
• Intentional Govt
  • Attract young and dynamic talent and make sure city workers look like the city they work in (MPLS did a similar study, not sure what this would accomplish, but I digress)
• Try and eliminate some of the risk averse nature of the city (gave some examples of how Cle operates in the stoneage)
• Create a Department of Transportation
  • Intergovernmental Authority between city, county and region (NOACA? but hyper focused to the city)
• 10 year strategy of getting momentum going in right direction
  • Says if elected, he'd run for another term to see this plan out (he was very humble with this)
• Wants to hire "an amazing COO"
• First thing: reinstate public comment at meetings
• Embrace the amazing resources that we have in our colleges and universities in order to keep and retain new graduates with energy and new ideas that the city needs

From the Q&A:

Q: How do you keep young people here

• Quality Education
• Solid, smart mayoral appointments
• w/o quality schools, it's hard to retain and attract families [that otherwise exit the city when they have children]

Q:Police

• Improve Arbitration Process
• Need police from the beats they're policing
• Consent decree not working as it was intended
• Be very intentional with budgets
• Better align police calls and social work

Q: (mine 😎) How do you see technology being used to benefit the city as a whole (eg. Pittsburgh, Detroit, etc.)

• Admittedly I was too busy listening to take great notes, but he's done his homework in this regard and gave a few examples of how cities have embraced technology and how he wants to bring in the best of the best to move the city forward. Here are my general takeaways: 
• Create an office of Civic Tech and Innovations
• Office of Urban Mechanics
• Tech Advisory Council
• Upgrading the city's website🥳

Q: Positively speaking what do you see Cleveland having that we can leverage?

• Once there's a laser focused goal we can get it done. It's an advantage of cities our size.

 

"2021 is going to be a reset"

Thanks for the detailed notes. Bibb seems very promising!

^^ Thanks from me too. Appreciate the notes. Seems like a solid candidate so far. Great news about updating the city’s website. The best use I’ve ever found for it was using it one time to show my kids what the internet used to look like! 

6 hours ago, GISguy said:

Wants to hire "an amazing COO"

 

This can't happen soon enough.   Jackson and his COO have helped cement a toxic culture in the ranks of city employees, fueled by nepotism and cronyism unseen since the 1930's.   I'll vote for Bibb in a heartbeat if he promises to clean house and improve city services.  

I'm glad you were able to attend!!  Justin Bibb is an energetic, smart, and incredibly accomplished guy for only being 33.  I can't wait for his formal announcement and to put all my energies into helping him get him elected!! 

22 hours ago, GISguy said:

Late to the discussion about Justin Bibb, but I attended a virtual fundraiser with some folks (and some UO folks I presume 🧐 [thanks for the invite @mack34]) but he hit on so many things that permeate on UO. As a 31yo city dweller and explorer I'm super energized by everything he had to say!

 

Quick notes I took: 

• Wants to streamline Permitting Process
  • Create a Customer Service Office
• Intentional Govt
  • Attract young and dynamic talent and make sure city workers look like the city they work in (MPLS did a similar study, not sure what this would accomplish, but I digress)
• Try and eliminate some of the risk averse nature of the city (gave some examples of how Cle operates in the stoneage)
• Create a Department of Transportation
  • Intergovernmental Authority between city, county and region (NOACA? but hyper focused to the city)
• 10 year strategy of getting momentum going in right direction
  • Says if elected, he'd run for another term to see this plan out (he was very humble with this)
• Wants to hire "an amazing COO"
• First thing: reinstate public comment at meetings
• Embrace the amazing resources that we have in our colleges and universities in order to keep and retain new graduates with energy and new ideas that the city needs

From the Q&A:

Q: How do you keep young people here

• Quality Education
• Solid, smart mayoral appointments
• w/o quality schools, it's hard to retain and attract families [that otherwise exit the city when they have children]

Q:Police

• Improve Arbitration Process
• Need police from the beats they're policing
• Consent decree not working as it was intended
• Be very intentional with budgets
• Better align police calls and social work

Q: (mine 😎) How do you see technology being used to benefit the city as a whole (eg. Pittsburgh, Detroit, etc.)

• Admittedly I was too busy listening to take great notes, but he's done his homework in this regard and gave a few examples of how cities have embraced technology and how he wants to bring in the best of the best to move the city forward. Here are my general takeaways: 
• Create an office of Civic Tech and Innovations
• Office of Urban Mechanics
• Tech Advisory Council
• Upgrading the city's website🥳

Q: Positively speaking what do you see Cleveland having that we can leverage?

• Once there's a laser focused goal we can get it done. It's an advantage of cities our size.

 

"2021 is going to be a reset"

 

1 hour ago, mack34 said:

I'm glad you were able to attend!!  Justin Bibb is an energetic, smart, and incredibly accomplished guy for only being 33.  I can't wait for his formal announcement and to put all my energies into helping him get him elected!! 

 

 

Does he have an email list i can sign up for? I don't do twitter

I really like this guy. Too bad I dont live in Cleveland to vote for him. I think I would help out any way I can though. We need new blood in this city. 

Spoke with someone involved with Jackson campaign - 

 

They're rattled by Bibb. A person of color who has his sh** together, and is accomplished outside of local government. Slight difference between him and Zack Reed lol. 

 

But this is going to go one of two ways: Jackson's team begins the smear... or Jackson calls it quits. 

^ Jackson should give it up now. He is old and should retire. 

 

You're right though, Bibb can appeal to AA voters in the city as well as young professionals. That might be a winning appeal. 

1 minute ago, freefourur said:

^ Jackson should give it up now. He is old and should is already retired. 

 

You're right though, Bibb can appeal to AA voters in the city as well as young professionals. That might be a winning appeal. 

 

FTFY. 

 

But for real - I noted this up thread - but a number of my friends and I are Conservatives living in Ohio City who are HIGHLY energized by Bibb. If he can get us, along with large segments of the black community, that's a hell of a coalition and goes to show how impressive his credentials are. 

[email protected]

 

As an aside - 2017 mayoral candidate Tony Madalone appears to be bearded and living in Mexico now - per his social media. 

1 minute ago, YABO713 said:

 

FTFY. 

 

But for real - I noted this up thread - but a number of my friends and I are Conservatives living in Ohio City who are HIGHLY energized by Bibb. If he can get us, along with large segments of the black community, that's a hell of a coalition and goes to show how impressive his credentials are. 

Interestingly though, the Jackson administration has been rather fiscally conservative as has the city finance Dept for decades. I'd consider it one of the faults of the city in some ways. In that, the city fears taking risks. This may have served us well but we need to rethink things. Instead of preserving capital and mitigating against a shrinking city, we need to spend money being bold and ambitious. 

2 minutes ago, YABO713 said:

As an aside - 2017 mayoral candidate Tony Madalone appears to be bearded and living in Mexico now - per his social media. 

Wow......wonder how the Tshirt market is down there! lol

If you want to know more about Justin, there is a podcast called "Then theres Cleveland" put on by the DCA.  The May 6th, 2019 episode features Justin Bibb and Tom Yablonsky.  Its really good and short

2 minutes ago, freefourur said:

Interestingly though, the Jackson administration has been rather fiscally conservative as has the city finance Dept for decades. I'd consider it one of the faults of the city in some ways. In that, the city fears taking risks. This may have served us well but we need to rethink things. Instead of preserving capital and mitigating against a shrinking city, we need to spend money being bold and ambitious. 

 

One of my favorite sayings from a law school professor of mine "people too often conflate stingy and conservative." lol 

7 minutes ago, YABO713 said:

 

One of my favorite sayings from a law school professor of mine "people too often conflate stingy and conservative." lol 

Good point. 

1 hour ago, YABO713 said:

Spoke with someone involved with Jackson campaign - 

 

They're rattled by Bibb. A person of color who has his sh** together, and is accomplished outside of local government. Slight difference between him and Zack Reed lol. 

 

But this is going to go one of two ways: Jackson's team begins the smear... or Jackson calls it quits. 

 

Is Jackson really thinking of running for a 5th term? He said in 2017 that THE ONLY REASON he was running for a 4th because there no one capable to hand the reigns to--Zack Reed and Jeff Johnson were considered the top two leading candidates at the time.

42 minutes ago, Pugu said:

 

Is Jackson really thinking of running for a 5th term? He said in 2017 that THE ONLY REASON he was running for a 4th because there no one capable to hand the reigns to--Zack Reed and Jeff Johnson were considered the top two leading candidates at the time.

That was my reaction as well. Although I think other, better candidates would have run last time if he had retired. 

 

This last Jackson term has undermined what could have been a decent legacy. I really hope he doesn’t run again. 

On 12/8/2020 at 11:57 AM, OliverHazardPerry said:

Tracy Jordan will be elated at this news.

 

But seriously, what is it with all of these old politicians wanting to be mayor of our major cities? Kucinich in Cleveland, David Mann and Wendell Young in Cincinnati. Retire in peace and let the next generations step up.

have you seen who’s moving into the White House on Jan 20?

On 12/9/2020 at 1:25 PM, PLowCLE said:

 

I went to law school with him. He has some problematic opinions on criminal justice and law enforcement. Here's a quote from his position essay on crime, "The solutions are simple but require a tremendous effort to execute. We must prescribe consequences to crime that are certain, swift, and brutal." Grammar mistakes aside that is scary. His other position essays are just bad policies also. Cursory looks at them show a lack of understand of the actual underlying problems in Cleveland. What's the benefit of getting rid of technology in the classrooms in CMSD. 

 

He's running on a law and order platform and a return to the glory days. It's not forward thinking or modern, it's small c conservative and regressive. 

 

 

To be clear, the crime essay you mention is about “violent crime”.

 

Also, the tech issue in CMSD isn’t about removing all tech, more about learning ie. math by hand as well as good old fashioned reading books.  Kindle is fine at times but this guy does have a point.

 

The decades of CLE education woes isn’t due to a lack of $.

On 1/1/2021 at 12:47 PM, Pugu said:

 

Is Jackson really thinking of running for a 5th term? He said in 2017 that THE ONLY REASON he was running for a 4th because there no one capable to hand the reigns to--Zack Reed and Jeff Johnson were considered the top two leading candidates at the time.

 

Whomever is elected as mayor in 2021--be it Jackson winning a 5th term or somebody else (either by Jackson not deciding to run or the electorate having enough of him), is going to be running a city with serious problems.  The crime and violence problems have steadily gotten worse, especially going back to Jackson's third term.  The city will be facing serious financial issues not only directly due to the pandemic, but also from the shift if working practices that gained momentum in 2020.  The performance of the school district won't help either.

 

Have a feeling that he will pull a Mike White-type move an decide to not run for another term.  Just like White, he knows the looming fiscal problems and will bail as a result.  Maybe the financial backers of prior mayoral campaigns won't be behind him as well.

 

If he were to decide to run for another term, he will take tremendous heat for the state of the city.  There will be questions about his "implied" promise to increase the size of the police department by hiring more officers.  As another poster stated in a portion of the Cleveland crime topic that has been deleted, due to attrition and lack of new officers coming out out the academy, the department has around 1400 officers.  Will he get called on 2017 campaign promises that have gone nowhere?

 

As an aside, I fully expect that another issue will be on the ballot, either in 2021 or no later than 2022:  An income tax increase, probably another 0.5% to 3.0%. 

Edited January 2, 20214 yr by LifeLongClevelander

Mike White was also mired in corruption scandals where his bagman ended up in prison.

1 hour ago, freefourur said:

Mike White was also mired in corruption scandals where his bagman ended up in prison.

Agreed, Mike White was neck-deep in troubles.  The city's finances were a mess.  The finance department was a revolving door.  Jane Campbell's administration could not make sense of the whatever information was on the books.  It didn't help when he over-extended the city when it went out and purchased the IX-Center.  Finances were so bad that the city could not even afford to collect garbage from trash cans (remember Campbell's infamous "adopt a garbage can" pitch).  He systematically alienated backers left and right.

 

Ultimately, he knew everything was falling apart all around him.  That is why he abruptly bailed on running for a fourth term and hightailed it out to Newcomerstown and raise alpacas.

 

 

Extremely impressed by Justin, let's get this guy elected!

 

^ As a Lakewood resident I'll be volunteering and knocking doors for this guy. He's good for the region and our future.

CLE dot com article:

Justin Bibb declares candidacy for Cleveland mayor
 

https://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/2021/01/justin-bibb-declares-candidacy-for-cleveland-mayor.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Justin Bibb, a local nonprofit founder and executive, announced Tuesday he would seek to succeed four-term Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson in the election this year.

Bibb becomes one of what is expected to be many high-profile Democrats to officially declare for the chance to follow Jackson, who was first elected in 2005. Bibb said he was running for mayor out of a sense of urgency for the community, which is struggling with multiple crises including economic disparity and the coronavirus pandemic.

“Right now, many Clevelanders are struggling and even before COVID-19 hit, we had the pandemic of violence and economic injustice across our city. The status quo has failed us and I can’t be patient when nearly half of our city’s children live in poverty, we’ve had one of the deadliest years on record, and unemployment is reaching new highs,” Bibb said in a livestream announcing his entry. “We are in a moment of crisis and opportunity in our city, and Cleveland’s future depends on what we do next. We have some big decisions to make to solve the most urgent challenges of our city’s time, and we can’t afford more of the same.”

3 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

CLE dot com article:

Justin Bibb declares candidacy for Cleveland mayor
 

https://www.cleveland.com/cityhall/2021/01/justin-bibb-declares-candidacy-for-cleveland-mayor.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Justin Bibb, a local nonprofit founder and executive, announced Tuesday he would seek to succeed four-term Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson in the election this year.

Bibb becomes one of what is expected to be many high-profile Democrats to officially declare for the chance to follow Jackson, who was first elected in 2005. Bibb said he was running for mayor out of a sense of urgency for the community, which is struggling with multiple crises including economic disparity and the coronavirus pandemic.

“Right now, many Clevelanders are struggling and even before COVID-19 hit, we had the pandemic of violence and economic injustice across our city. The status quo has failed us and I can’t be patient when nearly half of our city’s children live in poverty, we’ve had one of the deadliest years on record, and unemployment is reaching new highs,” Bibb said in a livestream announcing his entry. “We are in a moment of crisis and opportunity in our city, and Cleveland’s future depends on what we do next. We have some big decisions to make to solve the most urgent challenges of our city’s time, and we can’t afford more of the same.”

 

7 hours ago, Clefan98 said:

 

Extremely impressed by Justin, let's get this guy elected!

 

Hmm...so seeing this video and reading up on this dude’s bio and work history I’m not “sold” yet that he should be ‘da mayor.

 

definitely has Obama-esque feel and then he mentioned he worked for senator Obama...makes sense.

 

sells an inclusive bells-n-whistles package ie. raised by single mom and grandma story but the absent (?) dad was a cop...he mentions him so there’s a connection...so he wasn’t poor despite the “struggle” story. Didn’t go to Cleveland public schools...

 

lots of job hopping...VP of Corp Stategy at KeyBank for a year, worked as a county prosecutor, this n that, now head of Urbanova using Spokane WA as its central city to test things like monitors on street poles and “smart parks”.

 

Are CLE’s issues comparable to, as Bibb states, “the disadvantaged areas of Spokane” a city with 1.6% black population.

All these non -profits he started or worked at..he’s in every pic...he’s in sales and his biggest product is himself...too vague on any policies but then again today having any policy/ies is no longer a requirement to win an election anymore.

 

Guess which companies will be providing CLE with “smart parks”, light pole monitors, and any “data” driven reporting? 
 

is data gathering and reporting from light poles monitoring pollution levels a top CLE issue?

 

was part of that ClevelandRising also known as a corporate PR event turned useless fiasco as a rep for KeyBank.

 

appointed to boards etc...yet the bio is full of “introduced this group to that group” also known as really vague...

I get self-promotion but this guy is thin on results unless having multiple jobs in a short window is a qualification.

 

what has he done at RTA?...something CLE and the region really need to be concerned about in addition to the highest “big city” poverty rate, decades of city-county-MSA-CSA population decline.

 

Not on this bandwagon...yet at least. Living in CLE currently but not certain I’ll stay or be here for the November elections...primaries most likely.

 

Edited January 13, 20214 yr by CLENYC

This thread is cleaned up and unlocked.  Be civil.  Don't be a jerk.

Is Bibb a Democrat? I saw he worked for Obama but I haven't seen anything with an official party designation - it would be wonderful if he ran as an independent