Mike Bonin remains in middle of City Council race, though he dropped out 9 months ago.
But he hasn’t abandoned the fight against the proposal, and this past weekend, with the support of dozens of fellow progressives, he was able to convince the state legislature’s Democratic majority to kill the bill this week.
While the battle continues, Bonin’s campaign has been dogged by controversies.
He faced calls from a conservative blogger to drop out of the race for the state House, and some of his fellow Democratic candidates have expressed concern about his relationship with the city Democratic committee and his support for the city’s police union.
What we do know is that, as of last week, Bonin had raised $60,000, up from $50,000 in 2010.
You can vote for Mike Bonin in the state House of Councilors.
The race is shaping up as a tight one for a position that could play a key role in determining whether the city moves forward with a police reform plan.
Councilwoman Ann Karakatsani remains the likely winner, with the help of the unions and the business community. But with the city’s public opinion surveys showing that a majority of residents oppose the reform plan, Karakatsani now needs to convince residents that she is not just fighting for their interests, but for their best interests.
A former state legislator and city council incumbent, Karakatsani, 51, has embraced the reform plan, including the requirement that officers take classes on the state’s new body-worn cameras.
“I see myself very much as part of that reform movement here, and I see it as a way to get better officers to serve the city and to get them used to working with the community and with their colleagues,” she said, adding she believes that “with any reform plan, you have to be proactive and do anything we can to make the process better.”
City Commissioner Paul Demers, 48, is running against Karakatsani for the seat.
Demers is a progressive, as are most of the candidates. And they all have pledged to support Karakatsani’s reform plan.
