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Strategy for Democratic Mayors Facing Troubles: Attack Trump Strategy for Democratic Mayors Facing Troubles: Attack Trump
(about 9 hours later)
MINNEAPOLIS — After a first term pockmarked by intense protests and searing criticism from the left, Betsy Hodges, the mayor of this city, is facing prominent challengers as she campaigns for re-election: a civil rights activist, a charismatic young city councilman, a progressive state lawmaker. MINNEAPOLIS — After a first term pockmarked by intense protests and searing criticism from the left, Betsy Hodges, the mayor of this city, is facing challenges from prominent fellow Democrats as she campaigns for re-election: a civil rights activist, a charismatic young city councilman, a progressive state lawmaker.
But the opponent Ms. Hodges talks about the most lives nowhere near here and will not appear on the ballot. His name is Donald J. Trump.But the opponent Ms. Hodges talks about the most lives nowhere near here and will not appear on the ballot. His name is Donald J. Trump.
“There’s not a more consequential issue in our time right now than the threats posed to our country by Donald Trump’s presidency,” Ms. Hodges said in an interview after her State of the City speech at a Minneapolis mosque, a choice of venue that served as a response to President Trump’s remarks about Islam. “There’s not a more consequential issue in our time right now than the threats posed to our country by Donald Trump’s presidency,” Ms. Hodges said in an interview after her State of the City speech at a Minneapolis mosque, a site that served as a response to President Trump’s remarks about Islam.
Denouncing Mr. Trump is smart politics in Minneapolis and other big, liberal cities where most people voted against the president and where thousands have marched through the streets to oppose his policies. Some critics say Ms. Hodges — and other Democratic mayors facing troubles with their constituents — have come to see loud opposition to Mr. Trump as a political antidote. What better way to change the subject from local quarrels than to talk about a shared foe?Denouncing Mr. Trump is smart politics in Minneapolis and other big, liberal cities where most people voted against the president and where thousands have marched through the streets to oppose his policies. Some critics say Ms. Hodges — and other Democratic mayors facing troubles with their constituents — have come to see loud opposition to Mr. Trump as a political antidote. What better way to change the subject from local quarrels than to talk about a shared foe?
“She has been given a gift with this,” said Anthony Newby, the executive director of Neighborhoods Organizing for Change, a Minneapolis community group, who criticized Ms. Hodges for what he called a “reluctance to take on the big issues of policing and income inequality.”“She has been given a gift with this,” said Anthony Newby, the executive director of Neighborhoods Organizing for Change, a Minneapolis community group, who criticized Ms. Hodges for what he called a “reluctance to take on the big issues of policing and income inequality.”
But Mayor Hodges’s willingness to call out President Trump is “one shining mark in her administration,” Mr. Newby said. “It’s a great opportunity for her to consolidate what base she has left around an issue that everybody cares deeply about.”But Mayor Hodges’s willingness to call out President Trump is “one shining mark in her administration,” Mr. Newby said. “It’s a great opportunity for her to consolidate what base she has left around an issue that everybody cares deeply about.”
Ms. Hodges is not alone in emphasizing distaste for the president, perhaps shoring up flagging progressive support along the way. With Democrats shut out of power in Washington, big-city mayors have emerged as some of the party’s most prominent voices. Ms. Hodges is not alone in emphasizing distaste for the president, perhaps shoring up flagging progressive support along the way.
In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel faced repeated calls to resign in 2015 after the release of a video showing the police shooting of a black teenager. In recent months, he has become an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump, salvaging web pages about climate change that the administration deleted and reposting them on a city website.In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel faced repeated calls to resign in 2015 after the release of a video showing the police shooting of a black teenager. In recent months, he has become an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump, salvaging web pages about climate change that the administration deleted and reposting them on a city website.
Mayor John Cranley of Cincinnati, who is seeking re-election in November, finished nearly 11 percentage points behind a fellow Democrat in a first round of voting. With a city campaign season on the horizon, Mr. Cranley defiantly declared Cincinnati a “sanctuary city” for undocumented immigrants days after Mr. Trump’s inauguration.Mayor John Cranley of Cincinnati, who is seeking re-election in November, finished nearly 11 percentage points behind a fellow Democrat in a first round of voting. With a city campaign season on the horizon, Mr. Cranley defiantly declared Cincinnati a “sanctuary city” for undocumented immigrants days after Mr. Trump’s inauguration.
In Mr. Trump’s hometown, New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio is in a strong position heading into his re-election in part because he has repeatedly cast himself as a foil to the president on issues from immigration to policing to public housing. The tactic has helped drive Mr. de Blasio’s approval numbers to their highest level of his tenure.
His re-election campaign has repeatedly described his likely Republican opponent, Nicole Malliotakis, a state assemblywoman who represents parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn, as a strong supporter of Mr. Trump, who was broadly rejected by New York City voters in the presidential election.
Here in Minneapolis, Ms. Hodges, a City Council member before becoming mayor in 2014, describes herself as a progressive. She helped enact an ordinance mandating paid sick leave for workers. But she was seen by many as too slow to embrace a $15 minimum wage and as too heavy-handed in her response to a protest encampment that formed after the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man, Jamar Clark, in 2015.Here in Minneapolis, Ms. Hodges, a City Council member before becoming mayor in 2014, describes herself as a progressive. She helped enact an ordinance mandating paid sick leave for workers. But she was seen by many as too slow to embrace a $15 minimum wage and as too heavy-handed in her response to a protest encampment that formed after the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man, Jamar Clark, in 2015.
“Her main focus, from my perspective, was on ending the occupation because it was making the city look bad,” said Nekima Levy-Pounds, a leader of the protests and now a candidate for mayor. “There was a lot of coldness, iciness.”“Her main focus, from my perspective, was on ending the occupation because it was making the city look bad,” said Nekima Levy-Pounds, a leader of the protests and now a candidate for mayor. “There was a lot of coldness, iciness.”
The city government’s reaction — and Ms. Hodges’s role in it — infuriated people on all sides. Activists were aghast that police officers had donned riot gear and used pepper spray. Police union leaders were angered that officers had not been permitted to clear the streets and arrest protesters who camped out for 18 days. The Justice Department later criticized her coordination with police officials.The city government’s reaction — and Ms. Hodges’s role in it — infuriated people on all sides. Activists were aghast that police officers had donned riot gear and used pepper spray. Police union leaders were angered that officers had not been permitted to clear the streets and arrest protesters who camped out for 18 days. The Justice Department later criticized her coordination with police officials.
But in recent months, as she fights for a second term, Ms. Hodges has tried to change the subject.But in recent months, as she fights for a second term, Ms. Hodges has tried to change the subject.
She donned a pink hat and attended the Women’s March in St. Paul. She pledged to stand in the way of Mr. Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary cities. And after giving her State of the City speech at the mosque this spring, she cheerfully deflected a Fox News reporter’s question about whether she would have given a similar speech at a church.She donned a pink hat and attended the Women’s March in St. Paul. She pledged to stand in the way of Mr. Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary cities. And after giving her State of the City speech at the mosque this spring, she cheerfully deflected a Fox News reporter’s question about whether she would have given a similar speech at a church.
At appearances here, Ms. Hodges speaks about the president in ominous terms. The month before speaking at the mosque, she gave a separate address at a synagogue outlining her grievances with the president. She accused him of embracing anti-Semitic language, called him a threat to the free press and criticized his “shameful, discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional travel ban.”At appearances here, Ms. Hodges speaks about the president in ominous terms. The month before speaking at the mosque, she gave a separate address at a synagogue outlining her grievances with the president. She accused him of embracing anti-Semitic language, called him a threat to the free press and criticized his “shameful, discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional travel ban.”
Ms. Hodges says her outspokenness is a matter of moral obligation, not political expediency.Ms. Hodges says her outspokenness is a matter of moral obligation, not political expediency.
“If we are at the beginnings of a situation where there is a leader who is trying to undermine the foundational principles of democracy, then at the beginning of that, we need to be challenging it every step of the way, so that we never find out where the illogical, extreme conclusion of that is,” Ms. Hodges said. “I would sacrifice any bit of whatever political advantage there might or might not be from a President Trump to keep us safe and moving forward, as a city and as a country.”“If we are at the beginnings of a situation where there is a leader who is trying to undermine the foundational principles of democracy, then at the beginning of that, we need to be challenging it every step of the way, so that we never find out where the illogical, extreme conclusion of that is,” Ms. Hodges said. “I would sacrifice any bit of whatever political advantage there might or might not be from a President Trump to keep us safe and moving forward, as a city and as a country.”
Still, the city’s election is looming, and it remains an open question whether she can reclaim the progressive coalition that elected her four years ago. Minneapolis Democrats on Saturday tried to make an endorsement for the November election, but no mayoral candidate received enough support. Still, the city’s election is looming, and it remains an open question whether she can reclaim the progressive coalition that elected her four years ago. Minneapolis Democrats on Saturday tried to make an endorsement, but no mayoral candidate received enough support. There are no primaries before a November election.
Democrats dominate Minneapolis politics, and the most visible in a wide field of mayoral candidates belong to that party. But some of the city’s leading Republicans said they were frustrated with Ms. Hodges’s frequent critiques of President Trump.
Her rhetoric “makes no logical sense,” said Jonathan Honerbrink, a Republican candidate for mayor who said the campaign should be focused on local issues.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate at all and I think it’s incredibly disrespectful,” said Jennifer Carnahan, who heads the Minnesota Republican Party.
Some Democrats had different reasons for questioning Ms. Hodges’s approach.
“It’s not politically controversial to be against Donald Trump in Minneapolis — everyone’s against Donald Trump,” said Jacob Frey, a city councilman running for mayor who accused Ms. Hodges of failing to articulate a clear vision for the city. “So while some may use it as a mechanism to lure a progressive base, I believe that we can do a hell of a lot more than simply defend against Donald Trump.”“It’s not politically controversial to be against Donald Trump in Minneapolis — everyone’s against Donald Trump,” said Jacob Frey, a city councilman running for mayor who accused Ms. Hodges of failing to articulate a clear vision for the city. “So while some may use it as a mechanism to lure a progressive base, I believe that we can do a hell of a lot more than simply defend against Donald Trump.”