Lori Davis, the outspoken Harrisburg activist who ran for mayor in 2010, is seeking the District 1 Augusta Commission post currently held by Matt Aitken.
Davis joins former Laney-Walker Neighborhood Association President Stanley Hawes in seeking the post, which comes open this year.
Aitken has said he hasn’t decided whether to seek another term because of what he calls relentless criticism in the media, including on the anonymously owned Web site where Davis is a regular poster, citystink.net.
Davis and former District 1 commission candidate Butch Palmer first made names for themselves in 2008 fighting slum landlords in Harrisburg. When Palmer lost a three-way race for commissioner that year, Davis at one point campaigned for Aitken in the runoff between Aitken and Fennoy.
Since then, Davis, a former educator who now operates two Walton Way businesses, said she’s lost faith in Aitken and several other Augusta commissioners.
“They’re not thinking with their own brains,” she said. “Matt has voted on the big issue of moving the city forward, in ways it does not need to go.”
The Web site’s various posters, including Davis, have harshly criticized Aitken’s and other commissioners’ support for the downtown Trade, Exhibit and Event Center, which is under construction.
“We’re proving that there’s money in this city, and it’s being taken by entities to pad their wealth,” she said.
Aitken’s win as a white candidate running in a majority black district surprised many in 2009. The 2010 census showed District 1 at nearly 65 percent black, and the districts redrawn by a local redistricting committee left the district with the same percentage of black residents.
Despite the percentages and having a black opponent in Hawes, Davis doesn’t think she’ll have much trouble winning the black vote.
“I think the voting black community knows what I do, and they are in tune with what goes on,” she said. “The black community realizes they’re not getting what they need.”
In the 2010 three-way contest for mayor with incumbent Deke Copenhaver and William Gilyard, Davis received just 17.8 percent of the vote to Copenhaver’s 64.3 percent. She won none of the precincts in District 1.
Augusta has five commission seats coming open this year, although the Georgia General Assembly has yet to approve the redrawn district lines or the date of the elections, which will be in July or November.
Congratulations Lori! I can't think of anyone better for this position.
GO Lori, maybe now we will have some real representation in District 1.
Lori has some good ideas but way to much drama to go along with them. The commission needs leaders not drama queens who can tell you everything that is wrong but not have a clue how to solve it.
As for her City Stink and the gossip it spreads, I can think of nothing more devisive and negative for this community.
IF (and that is a big if) Lori would become more of a leader and stop her very childish ways, she could do very well for our community.
Thanks everyone. Just a correction, "It," is not my website but is a blog with many contributors.
csraguy, give us some "drama", please, if it means a person who understands the issues as it affects all of the taxpayers in the county and not just a select few and has the leadership skills to stand up and out for what she believes. Yes, give us some of THAT, please.
Lori is right, the blog is not her website.It's a site that critiques the performances of ALL local politicians and public officials. For better or for worse.
Having said that, knowing Lori as I do I must disagree with you csraguy. Exposing the shenanigans of these politicos is not divisive, it's neccessary if we want to keep them honest...don't fault the messenger just because you don't like the way she delivers the message...
Lastly, it is my understanding that the information posted on that blog is thoroughly vetted and documented to be true. If they've posted anything that hasn't turned out to be documented with facts please cite examples. They've broken more hard news concerning the mismanagement of this whole TEE center debacle than ANY other organization in this city...just sayin...
Trust me..Lori has solutions. The problem is nobody in city government wants to hear 'em...
Matt had his chance. I think his heart is probably in the right place, but I think his time is done. I am pleased to see that Lori is running and she has my support.
Lori be careful, I'm sure those with deep pockets that also have caused many problems for us taxpayers, will be funding someone to run against you girl. I just hope the other taxpayers will see it for what it is, buying a candidate to do their bidding.
Drama? I think the more acurate word is passion...and who would be better addition than someone would good ideas and passion? Most current leaders seem to have only 1 if any of those. Drama queen? If this debate was about installing speed-bumps or 4-way stop signs you would be right. But this is about the very survival of a neighborhood, about a potentially nice area being taken over by crime to the point where residents are living in fear, surrounded by constant illegal activity even gunfire. CSRAguy-imagine seeing prostitutes and drug dealing on the street you live on, and thugs that dare you to look at them twice while they stare down your family and possesions. Then imagine the frustration from everyone (except the bad element causing the problem) over lack of law enforcement resources. What better folks to uncover wasteful spending than those whos lives are so affected by lack of resources (law enforcement) in other areas? You may be lucky like I am and dont live in a neighborhood with these issues, but if we did Im sure we'd both want a neighbor with Loris passion, good ideas and backbone to stand up for us...
I hope she wins, but this could be complicated if the cabal decides to run another white against her and the blacks attempt to take back the seat as is being rumored.
Know what's really puzzling? Why is the cabal ALLOWING Aitken to step down? Have they become fragmented and gotten about all they feel they can and see the handwriting on the wall? I mean they snatched OVER $100 million from the tax payers with the TEE and Laney Walker initiative.
I imagine the powers that be will do all that is possible to keep me from winning. A sad state of affairs in Augusta politics. All I ask for is a fair fight. It's time to elect representatives who can think for themselves in an intellectual manner.
Lori, thank you for clarifying that City Stink is not yours and it is a blog. To me it goes much farther than a blog but ok. I am by no means a big fan of many of the commissoners or how the commission is run but I do not think that City Stink (although I am sure it is enjoyed by many) helps make our city better. True leaders do not resort to such means.
csraguy, can you explain? How does the truth not make the city better?
As Lori in her own words said, it is a blog which in older terms would be labeled a gossip rag. Taking elected leaders of any party, etc. and posting photos as they do with cut/paste, making continued fun of them no matter what, etc. as well as the "opinion articles" is not fact based nor is it simply reporting the truth. I guess if you take it with a grain of salt because of what it really is, then its no big deal.
Go Mrs. Davis! I am with you, I do not live in D. 1, but trust me, you have my support.
Re: Drama comment...lol there is already enought of that...You say drama, I say PASSION.
Re: Riverman, "take back"....c'mon now....any candidate with as much passion as her, black white, or purple, is needed. But of course with a majority black district, wouldn't a black leader be the best voice for the disrtict?
RANT @ how the AC tried to tie the website to Mrs. Daivs. . . .well what's new???
Yea, the drama "kings" are downtown at the marble palace.
ilove: "But of course with a majority black district, wouldn't a black leader be the best voice for the disrtict?"
Why?? Boortz made that point a couple of days ago when a caller mentioned representing "black interests". What are "black" interests? Why are they any different than "white' interests? We should be concerned with COMMUNITY interests, period; and doing what it takes to move the whole area forward. A rising tide lifts ALL boats.
Susan McCord wrote:
Aitken has said he hasn’t decided whether to seek another term because of what he calls relentless criticism in the media, including . . . citystink.net.
Nice to see that the editors of The Augusta Chronicle consider web site blogs part of the media.
Social media is a great medium to wake up the dead, blind, and deaf. I for one am glad we have it at our disposal.
Lori, I agree, with your 10:06 a.m. They refused to hear through phone calls, petitions, commission meetings, newspaper blogs; if that website helps to carry a message that taxpayers need to wake up and find out what is going on in their city, so be it. If we try something and it doesn't work, smart people try something different. That's what will make you different than all the good ole boys put together.
Everyone take a look at broad street narrow minds post at 11:25 a.m.
She's seeing the difference having Lori in the forefront is already making..."the mayor will be fun"!!
As someone that can appreciate art, I am not sure I could support a drama queen. I was told her antics are already old but I wil give her a chance so I can form my own opinion. Cudos to her for at least trying to make a difference.
@itsanotherday1: True, but this is Augusta, Georgia.
“I think the voting black community knows what I do, and they are in tune with what goes on,” she said. “The black community realizes they’re not getting what they need.” -Lori Davis
The black people need to exercise their right to vote at local, state,and federal in any election, not just during the presidential election. Its hard to believe a white candidate ,convicted felon, won the commissioner race ( District 1) in a predominatly black community. Black people in Augusta its time to get off your cozy butts, pull up your trousers and get out and vote. This is the year to elect a black mayor and to eradicate them good ole boys (Jim Crows) out of office, (who want to cut social security,medicare throw seniors under the bus,drug tests for benefits) in this upcoming election.
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