CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Democratic candidates in the Charleston mayoral race are gearing up for Tuesday’s Primary Election.
“I’m more energized than ever,” said Amy Shuler Goodwin, who is running for the Democratic nomination against Andy Richardson.
Richardson said “we’re planning to get our message out” during the final week before voters head to the polls.
Both candidates want to reinvigorate the economy and attract more people to the Capital City, among other things.
Goodwin, who previously served as the state Tourism Commissioner, aims to connect with people face-to-face.
“Since last October 2017 until this week, I’ve personally knocked on over 5,000 doors,” she said.
If elected, Goodwin’s top priority would be to fix the city’s budget. One policy she would create within the mayor’s office includes a “Charleston Walks” program that will allow City Council to host meetings at various locations.
“We’re not going to have Council meetings in the Chamber. We’re going to have them on Swarthmore (Ave), 2nd Avenue, on the East End, in Kanawha City on Staunton (Ave) or Venable (Ave) because that’s what people want. They want somebody who they can connect to,” she said.
Richardson, who currently serves as the City Councilman At-Large, said he wants to tackle pubic safety first.
“I want every neighborhood to be as safe as our safest neighborhood. I want to make sure that that can be the foundation whether it’s safety through neighborhood watch, safety through more walking and biking patrols, safety through demolition of abandoned structures,” he said.
That’s just one part of his approach. He said he also wants to improve government services and bring new jobs to the Kanawha Valley.
“I think that something bad at Town Center is bad for St. Albans. I think something good at Toyota is good for Charleston. Let’s all work together to revitalize this regional economy,” he said.
Goodwin said she thinks it helps that she’s in a challenged Primary Race.
“I think I’ve learned so much that it better prepares me to be a little bit more limber for the General. I will say this — I’m not sure there will be anything we would change,” she said.
After four terms, Charleston Mayor Danny will not seek re-election. He will retire and a new mayor will take over in January 2019.
Other candidates in the mayor’s race include Republican J.B. Akers and Independent candidate Andy Backus, who are each running unopposed.
Primary Election Day is Tuesday.