District 38 Rep. Tyrone Ellis and Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman are widely considered to be the faces of the Oktibbeha County Democratic Party, but Ellis is set to become the party’s primary standard-bearer after Wiseman steps out of public office on June 30.
Many area Democrats said they were caught off guard and flatfooted Monday when Wiseman announced he would not seek a third term in office. Wiseman, 36, said he would step away from local politics and spend more time with his wife, Lindsey, and their two children. The Wisemans’ third child is due this spring.
Ellis, of Starkville, and Oktibbeha County Democratic Party Chairman Albert Gore said Wiseman’s upcoming departure will leave a huge void in the party, and both acknowledged Democrats do not have a clear mayoral candidate as they approach the 2017 city election.
Wiseman’s decision will force Oktibbeha County Democrats to redefine who they are and what their platform stands for before the municipal qualification window opens in January, Ellis said.
“We have to sit down and reboot and reset everything the Democratic Party is about. The first thing we have to do is convene and find candidates that will continue to move us forward,” he said. “It’s like a football coach’s halftime adjustment but with more urgency. We’ve been down this road before, but the thing about Parker is he brought so much to both the city and county in terms of progress. Regardless if we get another Democrat in office or not, he’s a big loss. If you look at the public policy and administration that he’s executed over his career, it’s second to none.”
Democratic Party members are expected to broach the issue at upcoming meetings, but Ellis did not say when those would be held.
However the party attempts to redefine itself, both Ellis and Gore said it’s certain a Democrat will be on the mayoral ticket.
“(Wiseman has) been an aggressive leader for the city, as well as the county. He’s done a great job as far as I’m concerned,” Gore said. “It’s going to be very difficult to replace him because there’s too much negativity going on with some of the elements of growth in the city. We need someone to have an outlook of positivity for both the city and county because they’re both tied together. This is hard because I just took (Wiseman’s service as mayor) for granted.”
Whether the local Democratic Party has a clear leader in the city race, Oktibbeha County Republican Party Chairman Marnita Henderson said she feels the GOP has a good chance of reclaiming Starkville’s top elected post next year.
Henderson, who lost to Wiseman in 2009, said the mayor’s move could motivate others within the GOP to run that might not have had interest.
“I was extremely shocked to hear Parker wasn’t going to run for another term. I wish him well in whatever he pursues in the future. There’s been some talk (within the party about who might run), but nobody has made a decision yet,” she said.
Aldermen learned of the mayor’s decision through phone calls Sunday and Monday. Both Democrats and Republicans applauded Wiseman’s leadership through the years and said the outgoing mayor worked across party lines to find solution-oriented ways to improve Starkville’s quality of life.
“I think he always approaches every issue in a way that tries to find a resolution that’s agreeable with everybody,” said Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard, a Republican who is also stepping away from his elected seat on June 30. “That’s been his biggest accomplishment. Because when you look at the board in terms of party lines, you can’t always assume a vote will break down across those divisions. He’s definitely going to be missed, and he led Starkville efficiently through what has to be our most dynamic time of growth.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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