Nice candidates always finish last

So what did happen to Tommy Boyles in the mayor's race?

The lunchtime political crowd at Jack Connell's Sandwich City was looking for Mr. Boyles' campaign manager, Clyde Lester, last week after the election to find out why his candidate made such a poor showing, but Mr. Lester hadn't shown up. So we called him, and he said he'd been taking down signs. He said he'd be there Friday but wouldn't be able to share any insights.

"Everything's already been said," he said. "People wanted change."

Well, yes, but that's not the whole story. Mr. Boyles - one of the nicest fellows around - was lackluster. As one politico put it last week, "You can lay all the kindling you want to, but somebody has got to light the fire."

After the election, Mr. Boyles said he felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted from his shoulders, and considering who's likely to be on the commission next year, he's happy to be gone.

"I don't have to put up with that crap anymore," he said.

Maybe he subconsciously didn't want to win.

DEKE WHO?: And can he beat Willie? That might have been the second-most-asked question in the aftermath of the four-way mayoral election in which veteran politician and interim Mayor Willie Mays came in first with 37.08 percent of the vote, but less than expected; political novice Mr. Copenhaver second with 25.05 percent; Helen Blocker-Adams, another political newcomer, third with 22.56 percent; and Mr. Boyles fourth with only 15.25 percent.

They say Mr. Copenhaver just resonated with the voters in west and south Augusta. His energy, sincerity and enthusiasm hit home. He participated in all 16 pre-election political forums. And, of course, he raised the most money.

And Ms. Blocker-Adams, who raised only $17,874 to Mr. Copenhaver's $107,226, said her good showing was a surprise only to the people who didn't know her.

"For people who know me, it was not a surprise at all," she said.

SHE WON'T DANCE. DON'T ASK HER: With both Mr. Copenhaver and Mr. Mays seeking her support for the Dec. 6 mayoral runoff, Ms. Blocker-Adams is facing a decision that could affect her political future.

As a candidate promoting change in local government who attracted a diverse group of voters, she would likely have difficulty reconciling with her supporters an endorsement of Mr. Mays, the ultimate Marble Palace insider. However, endorsing Mr. Copenhaver, another change candidate, could also be politically dangerous.

Richmond County's population is already majority black and will likely continue along those lines as more and more whites defect to neighboring counties. That will eventually make it easier for a black person to be elected Augusta mayor. If Ms. Blocker-Adams endorses Mr. Copenhaver, and he wins, she could be painted as sabotaging a fellow black, possibly hurting her chances in any future political venture.

Don't be surprised if she chooses to sit this one out.

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS: On election night the second-floor courtroom of the Marble Palace where early returns are posted, termed "election central," would be just that, bustling with movers and shakers anxiously awaiting the next batch of results.

But in these days of Internet-posted results, election central didn't seem so central Tuesday night. Only a few dozen people sat in the aisles, and few candidates made appearances. The place had the feeling of a party that flopped.

But things livened up when Marshal Steve Smith showed up. He was running unchallenged Tuesday night, and when he walked in, a group that included the late state Rep. Henry Howard's former political aide Jack Usry started ribbing him about all the write-in votes against him.

"You've got some people you need to make happy," they heckled.

For a while, the room took on the feel of a high school classroom as people teased the marshal. Meanwhile, candidates in contested races such as John Butler and District 7 candidate Roy Rearden sat on pins and needles watching the counts come in - a little like students still taking a test while those already finished acted up.

When it was all over, Mr. Rearden, his wife and Jerry Brigham, rivals in a runoff, were the last people left in the courtroom. They were cordial, exchanging small talk about the upset in District 5 Commissioner Bobby Hankerson's race.

But when they were apart, it seemed the two accountants' gloves might come off in the weeks to come.

"I've got the experience, and he doesn't," Mr. Brigham said.

"Many of the problems now were created when he was on the commission," Mr. Rearden said.

GWEN FOR MAYOR: Augusta's former first lady Gwen Fulcher Young received two write-in votes in the mayoral election.

"Gwen got almost as many votes as Tommy," said former Mayor Bob upon hearing it.

There were the usual Mickey Mouses, Daffy and Donald Ducks, Batmen, Supermen, Santa Clauses, and Red Riding Hoods among the 277 write-ins in last week's elections and some a bit more imaginative.

Antonin Scalia, D. Cheeks, Don Cheaks and Don Cheeks got write-in votes for the late Rep. Henry Howard's seat in the Georgia House.

Among the 129 write-in votes for the Civil Court marshal's seat now held by Steve Smith, were Harry Potter, James Brown, Eric Clapton and Toommy Boyeel, which we assume was meant to be Tommy Boyles.

Rick James and "Neeitheer" and "Someone Honest" were written in for the District 1 seat.

In the Super District 9 race, "Any Citizen Who Pays His/Her Taxes and Debts" got a vote, as well as Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Bubba, Ralph Walker and WGAC AM radio talk show host Austin Rhodes, who also got a vote for the District 5 seat along with Freedie Handy and Mickey Mouse.

Some of those wits need to learn to speel.

MISSING IN ACTION: Mr. Mays was on the program to deliver the welcome at the Veterans Day ceremony at Heroes' Overlook on Riverwalk but sent City Administrator Fred Russell to do the honors. Mr. Russell said he didn't know why Mr. Mays didn't show, only that he was asked at the last minute to stand in.

Ooops! There goes the veteran vote.

"FREEDOM DOES NOT COME FREE": City Ink called her veteran to say she was sick of politics and was going to the Veterans Day ceremony.

"Good," he said. "Without veterans, there wouldn't be any politics, just a lot of firing squads and things like that."

Funny thing. They said about the same thing at Heroes' Overlook.

"Freedom is one of mankind's most precious commodities," said speaker Maj. Gen. Jim Livingston, a Medal of Honor recipient. "It is virtually impossible to calculate its cost in dollars and cents. The men and women buried in revered ground all over the world obviously placed a high priority on the value of freedom. I would think that they felt the freedom of this country was valuable enough to fight for.

"In fact, those Americans paid the ultimate price. They paid with their lives. Ladies and gentlemen, this great country of ours was not preserved as a free nation simply because our Constitution says we are free. We must earn it every day."

City Ink thanks Staff Writers Mike Wynn and Johnny Edwards for their contributions to this week's column.

Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.