Huntington Mayor Steve Williams cannot run for re-election next year. The city charter limits mayors to three consecutive four-year terms, and Williams is in the second half of his third term.
He’s considering running for governor. If he can find the political and financial support, it would be good for the city and the state.
“It’s on the table open for discussion right now,” Williams, a Democrat, told The Herald-Dispatch editorial board recently.
“The one thing I do know is I am not done yet. I am far from being done yet,” he said. “Now, what I need to determine is where I can best serve and that’s part of what we are considering.”
Why not? Given his record of accomplishment and leadership in Huntington City Hall the past decade, Williams should certainly be in the mix.
In a state where the polarity of politics has reversed in the past dozen years — from Democratic dominance to Republican control of the governor’s office, the Legislature and statewide elected offices — the Democratic bench is pretty thin. Thus Williams may be leaving City Hall at the right time.
Think of what Williams could bring to the campaign other than the obvious connection to Huntington. West Virginia cities have been mostly ignored by the Legislature in recent years. They’re left on their own to deal with problems related to homelessness and crime. They have some limited home rule authority, but not much compared with cities in neighboring states. Williams could bring the concerns of municipal dwellers to the election in a way most of the Republicans who are running could not.
Williams has a good record in running Huntington city government — something he undoubtedly will mention over and over if he runs, as few other possible Democratic candidates can make the same claim.
He has another strong point: He’s not a member of a political dynasty. As far as most voters know, Williams has little or no connection to the Manchin, Moore, Capito, Goodwin, Miller and Warner families.
He would face some obstacles beyond his lack of name recognition, however. One is the need to raise lots of money. Another, to be blunt, is his “Open to All” program in Huntington that aims to prove the city welcomes members of the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups. Whether “Open to All” is irrelevant to some of the more culturally traditional areas of West Virginia or an obstacle will have to be determined in his campaign. Williams will also need to overcome Huntington’s unjustified reputation in some parts of the state as a city riddled through with crime.
Williams has yet to decide whether he will run for governor, but the possibility is intriguing.
The West Virginia Democratic Party needs someone other than a placeholder — a sacrificial sheep, if you will — to run for governor so the party can preserve its place on the 2028 ballot. The state always needs a vigorous debate over what the governing philosophy should be for the next four years and who the best person is to put that philosophy into practice. Williams could run as a practical candidate instead of an ideological one. He has experience, and he has the skills to get things done.
It’s far too early to endorse anyone for governor, but Williams definitely deserves to be considered.
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