Fresh Loaf

Add one Jesse Spikes to the long list of folks planning to run for Atlanta mayor next year.

No, we weren’t familiar with Mr. Spikes, either, so we gave him a call. Spikes, 57, is a former Rhodes Scholar and a senior partner with McKenna Long & Aldridge, one of the city’s largest law firms. Although he served for a time as Evander Holyfield’s business attorney, he is not a well-known figure in Atlanta – but he does have an interesting back story.

Born on a farm in Henry County, the youngest of 13 children, to parents who never went to high school, Spikes’ future seemed understandably limited. But he was sent to school in New England by A Better Chance, a private educational foundation. Spikes went on to attend Dartmouth College, Harvard Law School and, courtesy of a Rhodes Scholarship, Oxford University.

Spikes, who specializes in business law, says he’d always expected to go to work in the public sector to give back to society, but hadn’t found the right opportunity. He now believes he’s found that chance.

“I think I’m the manager the city needs,” he says. “I’m someone who intends to focus on the nuts and bolts, day-in-day-out job of running the city.”

As someone who’s never run for public office, Spikes has his work cut out for him. So far, the field of mayoral candidates looks to include a number of seasoned political veterans: Council President Lisa Borders; State Sen. Kasim Reed; Council members Caesar Mitchell and Mary Norwood; and Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts.

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Buckhead City Councilwoman Mary Norwood – she of the first-lady-style suits and helmet hair – today kicked off her long-expected run for Atlanta mayor with an apparent makeover. Judge for yourself:


Before                After

OK, so her new look isn’t the big news here, but it will certainly be noted by anyone who’s grown accustomed over the years to Norwood’s dependable Talbots-and-Aqua Net aesthetic.

Anyway, the energetic councilwoman announced the rollout of a 120-member “exploratory committee” to survey the prospects of a Norwood mayoral campaign. Since she’s spent the past year holding town-hall meetings in virtually every neighborhood in town, we assume the committee is a formality and she’s already made up her mind to run in next year’s race.

Her likely opponents include Council President Lisa Borders, Councilman Ceasar Mitchell and state Sen. Kasim Reed. Possibles include Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts and talk-radio host Clark Howard.

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Don’t hold your breath waiting for Clark Howard to announce he’s running for mayor.

We’re not implying he won’t do it, mind you. We’re just saying that holding your breath would get mighty uncomfortable, because it’s likely to be awhile until Atlanta’s celebrity pinch-penny decides whether to get into the race.

In fact, from what Howard tells us, even if he decides to throw his hat into the ring, he’ll be cutting things very close. Because of syndication contracts, he’s obligated to do his daily radio show until March 2009. And since Howard feels it wouldn’t be fair to begin campaigning until he leaves the air, that would likely put him a year behind some of the other candidates. So far, only Council President Lisa Borders has declared, but others, including state Sen. Kasim Reed and Councilman Ceasar Mitchell, are expected to follow suit in coming weeks.

But Howard won’t wait that long to make a decision about the race. Because of his contractual situation, he’ll need to make up his mind no later than Sept. 26, he tells CL.

Which way is he leaning? We wish we knew. But he did offer insight into one important factor.

“My wife is not on board yet,” he says. “Unless that changes, it ain’t happening.”

If you want to ask Howard what he would do as mayor, you can attend the Buckhead Business Association’s annual luncheon next Friday, where he will be the keynote speaker. But hurry, the $75 tickets are going fast.

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As we see who’s already thinking about running for Atlanta mayor in 2009, it’s also interesting to note who’s not running. One name that has often come up in discussions is that of at-large Councilman Lamar Willis, who has spent lavishly on billboards to boost his citywide name recognition. Willis has told colleagues that he’s shifted his sights to the council president’s job, which will be left open as Lisa Borders goes for the mayor’s office.

Another short-lister has been former state Sen. Sam Zamarripa. But Sam Zam recently told CL that his current job overseeing a large private equity fund leaves him little time to pursue politics. As of now, he says, he doesn’t see himself jumping into the mayor’s race.

There are also a couple more names that should be added to the field of potential candidates. One is state Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, who has positioned himself as a defender of the poor and downtrodden with such legislation as his anti-payday lending bill.

Another rumored possibility is parking-deck magnate Michael Robison, president of Lanier Parking Systems. While Robison has been too behind-the-scenes to have wide name recognition, he’s well-respected in the business community, which is expected to rally behind a chosen candidate in ‘09. On the other hand, there’s a good chance that the Chamber of Commerce candidate could be Lisa Borders, who works for and has the backing of influential über-developer Tom Cousins.

If celebrated WSB tightwad Howard does decide to throw his hat into the ring, however, many prognostications will need to be thrown out the window.

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