March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

Annapolis Alderman Running For Another Office

Finlayson To Run For County Council

Sheila Finlayson (D-Ward 4) is gearing up for an Anne Arundel County Council run.

Eye On Annapolis has learned that Annapolis Alderman, Sheila Finlayson (D-Ward 4) is preparing to throw her hat into the ring for Anne Arundel County Council.  This will put Finalyson and recently appointed Councilman Chuck Ferrar on the Democratic Ballot in the primary election in September.

This will set up an interesting shift in Annapolis City politics should she be successful. First, the City will need to fund a special election for her replacement–an expense the City can nary afford and it has been rumored that former Mayoral Candidate Zina Pierre is interested in Finlayson’s seat on the City Council. Pierre currently rents an apartment in the City, so a relocation to Ward 4 would not be out of the question.

While certain cards must fall in place, it is not too much of a stretch of the imagination to have Sheila Finlayson ultimately takes Mayor Josh Cohen’s seat on the County Council, while Pierre takes Finlayson’s on City Council.  Taking it a step further, State Senator John Astle is reportedly running for his last term this year. Could it be possible that if he decides to resign mid-term (September 2012), that Josh Cohen would be appointed (per MD Law) to fill the seat by the Central Committee and Governor?  By that time, the now-vacant Mayoral position would be filled, also by appointment, by the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee–the same one that appointed Josh to run in the general election. Could this be a perfect time to make amends with Zina Pierre and appoint her to be Mayor from her City Council seat?

If so, Zina would have had more than a year as an Alderman, and more than a year as an incumbent democrat Mayor when she would run for re-election in 2013. Josh will have had experience as an Alderman, County Councilman, and Mayor before being appointed to the Senate where he too will run as an incumbent, in 2014. Incumbency aside, the perception that he was hand picked by the wildly popular John Astle, would give Cohen a solid boost.

Of course this is pure speculation as  Sheila Finlayson and Zina Pierre would each have to win an elections. A win for Zina is almost assured as she remains popular in the City and voters are still stinging from her fall from grace. Ad for Finalyson, she is well connected, well liked, and has yet to lose an election due to sound campaign management.

Cohen has been called an opportunist and is known for his “office hopping”. He has long been seen as the upcoming star of the democratic party in Maryland. Could this all be part of the plan? With Maryland’ s reputation in politics, nothing is beyond the realm of imagination! Senator Cohen, Councilman Finlayson, Mayor Pierre, and a Central Committee appointed new Alderman for Ward 4!

Perhaps this page is best bookmarked and revisited in June 2010, December 2010, and again in the middle of 2012!

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