TEN CHALLENGES ANNOUNCED FOR CITY SEATS -- INCUMBENTS STILL MUM

Exclusive to the readers of Milwaukeeworld

By Michael Horne

With Labor Day behind us, we should start hearing soon from candidates for the City of Milwaukee’s 15 aldermanic seats and four city-wide offices. Thus far only 10 individuals have announced their challenges to incumbents. No current office holders have officially declared their candidacy for the February 19^th, 2008 primary election, although all 19 are expected to do so, with the wild card being jailed sixth district alderman Michael McGee. Nomination papers may be circulated beginning December 1st, 2007

Announced candidates include Patricia Daugherty-Bergmanis for the 1^st Aldermanic District seat held by Ashanti Hamilton; Sura Faraj and Nicholas Kovac, who plan a joint campaign against 3^rd district alderman Michael D’Amato; Edwin Cruz, who plans to challenge 8^th district alderman Robert Donovan; Richard Geldon, who will vie for the seat of 10^th district alderman Michael Murphy; Ronald Hunter, and Victor Ray, who plan to run against 12^th district alderman Jim Witkowiak and Christopher Kuester, who plans to challenge 13^th district alderman Terry Witkowski.

City Attorney Grant Langley faces a challenge from Rep. Pedro Colon, and Rick Kissell, who got whupped in the 2004 race, plans to run again against City Treasurer Wayne Whittow.

If the challengers, save for Colon, seem unfamiliar to you, you are not alone. Ald. Murphy, interviewed at the rededication of the Lady Elgin memorial on Saturday, September 9^th, 2007, was not even aware that he had a challenger in Geldon, who announced his candidacy way back on March 9^th, 2007.

The most novel race thus far will be among D’Amato’s challengers, both representing the Riverwest portion of the third district. Faraj and Kovac plan to run a joint campaign against each other and against D’Amato, figuring, according to a calculus hitherto unknown in electoral politics, that this will increase the chances that D’Amato will be unseated.

There is little information on the candidates so far, and only Kissell appears to have a campaign website, as does Witkowiak challenger Ray.

However, Faraj does include this biography on the Milwaukee Renaissance website, which will have to do until her site, www.suraforchange.com , is activated.

”I live on the line between worlds, queer in more ways than one. I am my own city declaring ambiguous race, class, education, economy, gender. I walk the borders between these identities and weave in and out with others who fall into and out of categories with me. I dance. …

“Any emotional or physical support (food, massages, a good dark beer) from my community will help me recharge.”