1979 Cleveland mayoral election

none January 2025 September 2023 1979 Cleveland mayoral election Flag of Cleveland, Ohio.svg Cleveland Mayoral no 1978 Cleveland mayoral recall election 1978 (recall) 1981 Cleveland mayoral election 1981 November 6, 1979 George Voinovich, 1990.jpg George Voinovich Nonpartisan candidate 94,541 56.18% Dennis Kucinich 105th Congress 1997 (1).jpg Dennis Kucinich Nonpartisan candidate 73,755 43.83% Mayor Dennis Kucinich Democratic Party (United States) George Voinovich Republican Party (United States) The 1979 Cleveland mayoral election took place on November 6, 1979, to elect the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. George Voinovich defeated incumbent mayor Dennis Kucinich. The election was officially nonpartisan, with the top two candidates from the October 2 primary advancing to the general election. Background Mayoralty of Dennis Kucinich Kucinich had a turbulent mayoralty since he was elected in 1977. He had, in 1978, survived Cleveland's first-ever mayoral recall election. Primary As election season approached, Kucinich decided to run again in the mayoral primary. In April, state senator, Charles L. Butts announced that he would enter the race. On July 5, council majority leader, Basil Russo joined the race. Finally, after off-and-on remarks of his candidacy, Republican George Voinovich, who initially supported Kucinich in 1977, decided to give up his position as lieutenant governor of Ohio to run on July 26.McGunagle Fred Our Century: Muny Survives, But Kucinich Is Out of Power http://teachingcleveland.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/1979.pdf The Plain Dealer August 8, 1999 May 23, 2021 Unlike the 1977 race, however, there were very few debates. The Plain Dealer endorsed Voinovich while The Cleveland Press endorsed Butts. On primary night at Kucinich headquarters, "the band played the theme from Rocky," while Kucinich spoke of the race in the form of a football metaphor: "We are trailing at the half, but what counts is who's winning at the end of the fourth quarter." However, in the primary, the mayor finished second to Voinovich, 47,743 to 36,515 votes.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=556995 Cleveland Mayor - Primary, 1979 Our Campaigns May 9, 2019 Russo and Butts were eliminated. General election campaign Most expected a heated campaign between the two politicians of South Slavic descent (Kucinich being a Croat and Voinovich a Serb). Early in the race, Kucinich jumped on a quote that Voinovich made to The New York Times on August 26: "I like fat cats. I want as many in Cleveland as I can get. Cleveland needs their tax dollars and the jobs they bring."The Crisis of Growth Politics: Cleveland, Kucinich, and the Challenge of Urban Populism Swanstrom Todd 1985 Temple University Press 9780877223665 Philadelphia 210 In response, Kucinich stated: "George Voinovich has proven conclusively...–he is the candidate of the fat cats...and he would love to become the mayor of the fat cats so he can repay their generosity." Part of Kucinich's campaign tactics involved distributing political pamphlets throughout the city entitled "Who Owns Voinovich?" The cover illustration depicted three fat cats with Voinovich in front of them with handfuls of money.Swanstrom, pp. 217–218. On the cover illustration, the cats tell Voinovich that "We will buy you city hall as long as we can run it." The caricature of Voinovich responds, "That's all right with me, 'cuz 'I like fat cats.' Besides, I don't really want to be mayor. I want to be governor." However, everything came to a virtual halt when Voinovich's nine-year-old daughter, Molly, was struck by a van and killed.Swanstrom, p. 219. Kucinich could no longer continue his aggressive campaigning against Voinovich. Polls, which were already leaning in Voinovich's favor, now showed overwhelming support for him. On November 6, he won the general election 51%-49%.https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=281890 Cleveland Mayor, 1979 Our Campaigns May 9, 2019 Of the 33 wards of Cleveland at the time, Kucinich only won eight. Endorsements Dennis Kucinich Federal officials Dick Celeste, Peace Corps Director, future Governor of OhioLarkin Brent A score card on endorsing Cleveland Press October 30, 1979 A1 State executive officials Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr., Ohio Secretary of State and son of former Mayor of Cleveland Anthony J. Celebrezze State legislative officials Benny Bonanno, Ohio State Representative from District 8 Local officials James Bell, Cleveland City Councilman for Ward 11 Individuals Carl B. Stokes, former Mayor of Cleveland and the first African American mayor of a major U.S. cityLarkin Brent Carl's back in town: 'This will always be my home' Cleveland Press November 1, 1979 A1Larkin Brent Carl Stokes is back in town for another campaign Cleveland Press November 1, 1979 A3 "If Voinovich wins," Stokes said, "the Democrats might as well forget about the state of Ohio in 1980." Labor unions United Auto Workers Municipal Foremen and Laborers Union Local 1099 Steelworkers Union Local 13038 United Transportation Union Local 1661 Kucinich also sought the support of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, but it voted to remain neutral. George Voinovich U.S. representatives Mary Rose Oakar, Democratic U.S. Congresswoman from Ohio State legislative officials Charles L. Butts, Ohio State Senator from District 23 County officials Virgil Brown, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Robert E. Sweeney, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Gerald McFaul, Cuyahoga County Sheriff Vincent Campanella, Cuyahoga County Auditor Local officials Basil Russo, Cleveland City Council Majority Leader Individuals Ralph Perk, former Mayor of Cleveland Frank Lausche, former Mayor of Cleveland, former Governor of Ohio, former U.S. Senator from Ohio Arnold Pinkney, former Cleveland School Board President Edmund Turk, former Cleveland City Council President Labor unions AFL–CIO International Brotherhood of Teamsters Organizations Cuyahoga County Republican Party Black Elected Officials Caucus Newspapers The Plain Dealer The Cleveland Press The Cleveland Call and Post Results Primary election Primary election results George Voinovich 47,743 37.54% Dennis Kucinich (incumbent) 36,515 28.71% Basil Russo 21,962 17.27% Charles L. Butts 19,431 15.28% Thabo L. Ntweng 1,546 1.22% 127,197 General election Cleveland mayoral election, 1979 George Voinovich 94,541 56.18% Dennis Kucinich (incumbent) 73,755 43.83% 168,296 References Category:1970s in Cleveland Cleveland mayoral Cleveland Category:Dennis Kucinich Category:Mayoral elections in Cleveland Cleveland mayor 1979 Category:November 1979 in the United States