Will Race Be An Issue In District One Runoff?

Augusta, GA—The District One Augusta Commission race is headed into a runoff between a white and black candidate, and it has people talking. Plenty of political observers say they don’t expect the race to go along racial lines in December. The outcome of this runoff could tip the racial balance of the Commission.

The results show the white candidate, Matt Aitken, had crossover appeal Tuesday. He got 40% of the vote in the district that’s 65% black. In 2006, Mayor Deke Copenhaver easily carried the same district, though turnout was much higher then.

Getting their voters back to the polls could be biggest battle district one run-off candidates Aitken and William “Bill” Fennoy. But, community activist Helen Blocker-Adams says to assume that people will vote along racial lines is a mistake.

Helen Blocker-Adams, community activist: “It would be so refreshing to have a person just almost putting a bag over their head and saying, ‘What are they going to bring to the table? What are they going to do for the people? Do they know what the needs are?‘ And if they know and have some solutions, then it’s not going to matter what their skin complexion is.“

Former candidate Butch Palmer’s campaign tells WJBF News Channel 6 Palmer will endorse Matt Aitken, if Aitken comes out and publicly supports Palmer’s chief issue, a chronic nuisance property ordinance.