Latest City Politics news flash. Theresa Gabriel has made the plunge!
This might not seem like that big of a deal. But as they say in France, au contraire, mon frère! The addition of Gabriel to the field for Toledo City Council at Large helps provide a glimpse into the craziness that is Frogtown Follies at their very swampiest.
Never mind the oddity of the way Gabriel pronounces her first name. No plain ol’ “Tuh ree suh” for this long time FOCer (Friend of Carty). Instead, she pronounces her name “Thuh ree suh.” Sorta like The Reesa but not quite. But that’s all so much whistlin’ in the wind.
Carty the undead
The fact that Gabriel was Carty’s right hand, go-to girl for years is more to the point. The Finkly influence refuses to die, even as Carty hisself has stayed out of the political running. He nevertheless acts as the Frogtown elder statesman, pontificating on everything from the performance of Mayor Bellbottoms (C Fink is not impressed) to the renewed Council candidacy of former Mayor Smilin’ Jack Ford (Carty is a big fan, which is odd considering Carty ran against Ford when he was the incumbent Mayor in 2005 and beat him).
Gabriel isn’t the only FOCer to extend the Finkly shadow across the political landscape. Two of the three pitchmen for changing the structure of Lucas County guvmint to a charter system were FOCers in good standing, including former Finkly Chief of Staff Herr Robert Reinbolt. Suffice it to say the eerie Finkly presence won’t dissipate anytime soon.
Then there’s the fact that Gabriel was long rumored to be the Republican candidate for Toledo mayor. That field is overcrowded already with the incumbent, Independent Mayor Bellbottoms, and two high profile Ds, current City Councilman Joe McNamara and County Auditor Anita Stepping Stone Lopez. Then there’s two-time mayoral candidate Independent D. Michael Collins, and Independent president of a city AFSCME union, Alan Cox. Plus the Libertarian candidate, whose name you are free to forget, and newly minted R but longtime wing nut, Opal Covey. That’s three Independents, two Ds, an L, and a crank case. Not a credible R in the lot.
The fact that Gabriel has foregone trying to fill that role says volumes. It might say that she realizes she has no chance in a blue moon to win, with three high profile candidates and surrounding cast of thousands. It might also say that she doesn’t want to share the R label with Covey, a self-avowed prophetess whose former prophecies about the inevitability of her election have been slightly inaccurate. It probably says that Gabriel doesn’t want to be the torch bearer for the insanity of the Jon Stainbrook-led LC GOP, a role that Covey is much better equipped to handle, being a complete goofball and all.
Spirit of seventy six
So Gabriel has instead announced her candidacy for Council. And the lifelong Republican has further declared herself to be an Independent. And the 76-year old Gabriel’s stated purpose is to bring the voice of the elderly to Council. And the former owner of a Monroe Street bar has further said that Council needs the voice of a small business owner.
First, let’s consider her decision to run as an Independent. Her mentor C Fink famously ran as an R and an I before finally figuring out that, ideology be damned, if you want to win you’re best served to just call yourself a D and be done wit’ it. Gabriel is now taking the same path. Not sure she has the remaining longevity to make that final transition.
As for the age thing, we’re no experts, but we’re not sure “I’m old!” is an effective campaign strategy. In part because the size of your target demographic will only decrease through the years. Gabriel has not taken the time to explain what issues of interest to her age group are so unique that they are not also of interest to others. Or why the rest of us who aren’t pushing eight decades should care to vote for her.
She also must not have taken the time to check the backgrounds of current council members. Several have run their own businesses, either as realtors, lawyers, or landscapers. She doesn’t bring anything that unique to the table. Including the fact that her campaign rhetoric is empty, poorly researched, and generally unconvincing.
To sum up: Gabriel is illustrative of the pure silliness of city politics. Without which this humble column couldn’t exist. Welcome to the race, FOCer T!
