Full disclosure: I own a small ad agency, The Next Wave [1], that has great printing prices [2] and can help a candidate do almost everything needed to run. I’ve worked for the following candidates in the past or now: Gary Leitzell, Shenise Turner-Sloss, Darryl Fairchild, Scott Sliver, Valerie Duncan, Jordan Wortham.
We’re heading toward the special election to thin the herd running for Mayor and Dayton City Commission on May 4, 2021. Why we waste time and money reducing your choices is because that’s the way those in power like it. There is a way to choose from a lot of candidates that could eliminate the needless special election- and give small money candidates a better chance- it’s called Ranked Choice voting- and it’s something we’ve been working on at Reconstructing Dayton [3], to introduce and put on the ballot.
This election will be different than most in that there are two actual “vacant” seats up for grabs. Mayor Nan Whaley has bowed out, and Commissioner Jeff Mims isn’t running for re-election, but has chosen to run for Mayor. Commissioner Darryl Fairchild is the only one running for re-election and he is in a crowded field.
After the Board of [S]Elections made it’s final cut we are down to three candidates for Mayor:
Gary Leitzell was the early candidate to make sure Nan didn’t run unopposed. He had his petitions in early and was the sole challenger. As the former Mayor, he’d have been a serious challenger. When she announced she wasn’t standing for Re-Election [4], Mims quickly switched over to the Mayors race. He has also picked his two running mates for Commission (more on that later). With only 2 candidates, we wouldn’t need the special election to thin the herd, but, former Dayton Fire Department chaplain Rennes Bowers threw his hat in the ring.
Mims has been a glad handing political machine cog for the last three plus decades. He’s everybody’s friend in public, but will stab you in the back if it means he can get ahead. He has a minimal understanding of the Public Meetings laws- but when push comes to shove, and a camera is pointing his way, all of a sudden he follows them. See DPS: Special meetings are to avoid scrutiny [5]. To think that Commissioner Joey Williams did anything without the tacit approval or collaboration with Mims is pure naivete. Williams went to prison, Mims wants to be your next Mayor.
Looking for websites so you can start to do your research for Mayor:
- Gary Leitzell has a site at www.gogarygo.com [6]
- Jeff Mims
doesn’t even a facebook page for his campaign that I can find. If you can find something- let me know.20 Mar, 2021, his agency [7] informs me it’s up: https://www.mimsfordayton.org/ [8] and note, his agency claims a Dayton address, it leads to a mail drop in Grove City Ohio- so, Mims doesn’t even buy what Dayton builds for his site.
[9]Jeff Mims wants to be Mayor of Dayton but he hires a firm claiming a Dayton office that is actually a maildrop in Columbus.
- Rennes Bowers: has a basic site https://www.bowersformayor.com/ [10]
Note, while a lot of people are on Facebook, I don’t consider it a legitimate site for a candidate, since Facebook is a walled garden requiring membership. It should not be considered a serious attempt at a site for a candidate.
The goal for May 4- for two candidates to have at least one more vote than the third.
We will be attempting to do long form interviews of each by Reconstructing Dayton- to help you make a real informed decision. We will be asking about their support of Ranked Choice voting and about regionalization efforts as a key part of our endorsement process. We’ll also be asking about support of private police forces, cash bail, jail safety, equity formulas for economic development incentive packages, property taxes, income taxes, and other critical issues.
For Dayton City Commission there are seven candidates for the two seats. The Special Election will eliminate the three lowest vote getters. Here’s the list of candidates with their sites so you can do your homework.
- Stacey D. Benson Taylor – no site found update 22 Mar 2021 https://www.staceybensontaylor.com/ [11]
- Valerie Duncan – looks like she didn’t renew her URL https://votevalerieduncan.com/ [12]
- Darryl Fairchild- incumbent https://www.fairchildfordayton.com/ [13]
- Jared Grandy https://www.jaredfordayton.com/ [14]
- Scott E. Sliver
no site foundupdate 22 Mar 2021- www.electscottsliver.com [15]
- Shenise Turner-Sloss: https://shenisefordayton.com/ [16]
- Jordan Wortham https://jordanwortham.com/ [17]
If you find sites, please comment in comments.
With Covid limiting gatherings and chances to do forums/candidate debates, this is going to be a very different kind of election.
So far, Mims has his team of Sliver and Benson Taylor and it’s assumed he’ll have Montgomery County Democratic Party backing – while other dems, like Duncan, Grandy, Turner Sloss and Fairchild don’t even get a chance at party support. Political parties weighing in on primary/selection elections like this are part of the reason we typically have so few candidates and that we keep re-electing the same doofus candidates. The Dem Party Central committee has been stacked with employees of elected officials who make it an unstated policy that you back their picks in endorsements. It’s why I believe that anyone working in government, shouldn’t have a vote in party endorsements.
With these elections so misunderstood- turnout is usually abysmal. Voting in this election, which is non-partisan, is open to all voters and party affiliations do not appear on the ballot. The real sway the party has is it’s ability to target likely primary voters with mailers done on the parties non-profit rate postage plan. Expect to see mailers from the party telling you who to vote for- not who the members of their party are.
All candidates will be elected to a full, 4 year term. The job is very part time, but pays well. The three winners will be joining the dead weight wing of the commission, Matt Joseph and Chris Shaw.
13 Comments To "The Dayton Extra Election"
#1 Comment By David Esrati On March 20, 2021 @ 8:20 am @ 8:20 am
Thanks for the update Nate- you might want to correct your site- a mail drop in Grove City Columbus doesn’t count as a Dayton office.
#2 Comment By Cletus On March 20, 2021 @ 8:27 am @ 8:27 am
How anyone could vote for Mims over Turner-Sloss is beyond me. Look at the sites for example. Nothing says “lazy” quite like Mims’ site. Pure hubris and no specific “how” answers. Just the same old crap with no details. Dayton deserves better than him.
#3 Comment By Cletus On March 20, 2021 @ 8:27 am @ 8:27 am
And yes, I know two different elections. But look at the data, and who is supported by who. It’s nuts.
#4 Comment By David Esrati On March 20, 2021 @ 9:05 am @ 9:05 am
@Cletus- Mims has gotten away with being a glad handing smiling face in a suit for so long it’s silly. He’s always been a voice of – someone else. The only difference between him and Joey Williams is that he hasn’t gotten caught yet. He has NEVER been on the side of a minority vote- and I think he makes it clear how he feels in my “Good Bye Sunshine” video where he tries to illegally claim they don’t have to meet in public to discuss the future of our schools.
See video and post: [5]
#5 Comment By Cletus On March 20, 2021 @ 9:58 pm @ 9:58 pm
Agreed. I have a bridge on W Third street to sell anyone who thinks Mims wasn’t complicit in Williams’ nonsense.
#6 Comment By David Esrati On March 21, 2021 @ 11:08 am @ 11:08 am
@Nate Dillard. You live in Fairborn Ohio. The maildrop in Grove City Ohio is mislabled as being in Dayton. I stand by my facts. There are plenty of maildrops closer to your home.
Your “ [20]” includes 2 other Dillards as staff- and lists 3 PhD’s.
I’ve been in the government contracting space long enough as an SDVOSB to recognize a scam.
So- of your 24 “employees” in your 3 listed locations- all, have other jobs- including you. Most don’t include Lunarx in their vitae. You don’t have a real office in Dayton- and can’t tell Grove City from Dayton.
You also can’t find a mail drop that’s any closer- despite there being plenty- like the UPS shop at 1166 E Dayton Yellow Springs Rd, Fairborn, OH 45324- much closer to your house (which can be found on your [40]).
Your Detroit location is a co-share. [41]
Your AZ office [42] is a UMail drop location.
So- let’s see- no offices. No full time employees. Probably zero w-2’s issued. And you claim to be a “Dayton” firm. This is the kind of “Firm” that the FBI fingered as part of the “Culture of Corruption” in Dayton- with RoShawn Winburn handing out contracts.
Mims is right in the middle of yet another scam- and avoiding the fact that he was just as culpable as Williams, Whaley, Shaw and Joseph in any contracts issued. Next up- reviews of the Public Records on the contracts you “won” – [43]– which you [44],
Real Dayton firms, like mine, pay Dayton income taxes, Dayton Property Taxes, and are listed as Certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses, and can qualify as a HUBzone business. You- run a minority business shell company. Totally fitting for a stuffed suit client like Jeff Mims.
#7 Comment By David Esrati On March 21, 2021 @ 11:14 am @ 11:14 am
And Nate- while the DBJ runs press releases and says nice things- some of us play in full-time reality, of showing up at work full-time everyday, paying taxes, and dealing with real clients and real budgets.
I’ve written before about “virtual consultancies” made up to give government contracting officers enough justification to hire a “fake it till you make it” firm- for a kickback- or a promise of a job when they retire from their government job- like this one: [45]
#8 Comment By Cletus On March 21, 2021 @ 11:33 am @ 11:33 am
Damn Esrati’s got the receipts
#9 Comment By Cletus On March 22, 2021 @ 7:32 am @ 7:32 am
Nate tells Esrati that he has too much time on his hand, proceeds to post comments from 6pm until midnight, then at 7am. Someone is panicking because they got busted for being a hustler
#10 Comment By Nate Dillard On March 22, 2021 @ 9:42 am @ 9:42 am
David,
As promised in our previous correspondence, and in all transparency, I’ve officially captured all the information I need to move forward with justifiable legal action. I will be taking my comments down from the public eye so I can move forward with the necessary legal actions.
Please expect to be hearing from my laywer.
I appreciate your understanding at this time as I move forward with what is legally needed to protect my company’s professional reputation and profitability. I wish you all the best as we move forward with these official formalities.
Have a blessed week.
#11 Comment By Cletus On March 22, 2021 @ 10:18 am @ 10:18 am
If I were you, I’d delete my comments out of embarrassment too. Hustlers gonna hustle.
#12 Comment By David Esrati On March 22, 2021 @ 10:21 am @ 10:21 am
Well, Nate, I told you last night, I’d call tomorrow. Since then you’ve posted and threatened and hounded- and screenshoted away.
I called- and your number, hasn’t even had the voice mail setup. I called 2x- just to make sure.
You say you have a PR expert on staff? Maybe you should check in with them- because your response is really just digging a deeper hole.
Some of your listed clients- have to file campaign finance reports- like Obama and Bloomberg 2020- will I find Lunarx as one of their expenses?
Public institutions are required to follow public records laws- so Wright State, Western Michigan University, and the USAF will list LunarX as a vendor.
You aren’t the first to try this virtual thing- and exaggerating your size, capabilities or client list. We have a post about [46] on our site.
I founded an organization to help veterans become vetrepreneurs, and am more than happy to help you grow your business- or even partner, but, one of our most important credos is honesty. Authenticity is critical in the days of deep fakes, fake news and a gullible public. There are simple things you can do to rectify your issues- and I’m more than willing to help- even if it means talking to your lawyer- instead of you.
And, now- you’ve deleted a bunch of your comments from public view. Why don’t you just fix your own site?
#13 Comment By David Esrati On March 22, 2021 @ 9:54 pm @ 9:54 pm
Well, that whole thing about “doth protests too much” lead to more digging and of course, when you follow the money, Mr. Lunarx and crew may have some ‘splainin to do… to the Feds.