RUMOR: Reed to Challenge Shrewsbury

The Arch City Chronicle beat us to reporting (doesn’t happen very often) the latest rumor which is making its way around city political circles: 6th Ward Alderman Lewis Reed will be challenging Jim Shrewsbury in next year’s President of the Board race.

We all know race and races go together like peas and carrots in this town, so of course the chief concern among many black politicos is who would fill Reed’s seat on the board. Win or lose, if he was to run for President he couldn’t keep his aldermanic seat since both races occur on the same day.

The name that most often comes up as Reed’s likely successor is Democratic Committeeman Patrick Cacchione (who curiously is on record as giving $1,000 to Republican Sen. Jim Talent less than two years ago). Cacchione is white. Reed is black. While whites only make up 44% of the city’s population, they hold the vast majority of elected offices — including almost 60% of the aldermanic seats.

Some northsiders may withhold supporting Reed’s longshot campaign for Board President if he doesn’t make a clear effort to keep the 6th Ward seat filled by an African-American.

PUB DEF will be at today’s meeting of the Board of Aldermen. Check back later for comments and reactions from colleagues of both Reed and Shrewsbury to this rumored Battle Royale.

UPDATE: Reed tells PUB DEF that he is indeed contemplating a run against Shrewsbury. He said he will be making a final decision sometime within the next 3-4 weeks.

But judging by the presence and close proximity to Reed of political consultant David Poger (fresh off of Jeff Smith‘s state senate victory) at today’s aldermanic meeting, it appears Reed might already be picking up some talent.