Mayoral candidate India Walton, who won the Democratic Party primary Tuesday, defeating the incumbent Mayor Brown, speaks during an interview with The Buffalo News, Wednesday, June 23, 2021.
"It's simple. India Walton's base was energized, excited and aggressive," said former Mayor Anthony M. Masiello. "She got out her vote and unfortunately, the mayor's base did not come out."
Observers say the local mayoral primary swung on a factor that's often been missing in other primaries: a strong contrast between a dynamic progressive candidate and a strangely invisible incumbent.
"She was in contact with the community, and it wasn't just progressives; it was people in the middle of the road," Bufffalo Teacher's Federation President Philip Rumore said of Walton. "She was out there, working. So the message that goes out to incumbents is that people do not like to be taken for granted. And the message that goes out to people that would like to challenge incumbents is that you can do it."
"The business community and the development community can sustain anything that's out there, because that's what a businessman does," developer Douglas Jemal said.
Mayoral candidate India Walton, who won the Democratic Party primary Tuesday, defeating the incumbent Mayor Brown, speaks during an interview with The Buffalo News, Wednesday, June 23, 2021.
Observers say the local mayoral primary swung on a factor that's often been missing in other primaries: a strong contrast between a dynamic progressive candidate and a strangely invisible incumbent.
"She was in contact with the community, and it wasn't just progressives; it was people in the middle of the road," Bufffalo Teacher's Federation President Philip Rumore said of Walton. "She was out there, working. So the message that goes out to incumbents is that people do not like to be taken for granted. And the message that goes out to people that would like to challenge incumbents is that you can do it."
