Candidates for Columbia’s First Ward City Council seat came together for the first time Friday after the deadline to enter the race passed last week. Seven of the eight candidates spoke at the first of three public forums before the April election.
There was a seat left in the middle of the table for Dan Rader, the only First Ward candidate who couldn’t make it to the forum. But, his absence went unnoticed as each question from the audience received seven answers.
Candidates Nate Brown, Rob Rasmussen, the Rev. Clyde Ruffin, Sal Nuccio, John Clark, Jake Loft and the Rev. Rob Stewart answered questions from the audience. Topics ranged from Tobacco 21 to council’s role in choosing public school sites – a question that stumped almost every one of the candidates.
Joan Sullivan, whose husband asked the question, says though she knows the older candidates, she hopes the younger candidates will begin to prove themselves as the election approaches.
“I would say they aren’t aware yet but the longer they run and the more that they have these forums and the more that people come like my husband that ask complicated questions, then they’ll understand, these are the things that they’ll be facing,” Sullivan said.
Rasmussen, one of the younger candidates, says although he and the other candidates were surprised by some of the questions asked, after the candidate orientation, which was held this weekend, the coming forums should go a bit smoother.
“The next forums, everybody should have a little bit more of an understanding about the different function of the city government, so some of the questions will make more sense,” Rasmussen said.
Though the audience-driven forum pushed two hours, it was just the first opportunity for the candidates to test the waters and for residents, like Christine Gardener, to put a face and a stance to each candidate.
“Well, eight candidates - I mean, I’ve got to start early figuring out who’s who and what’s what,” Gardener said.
The next forum will take place on March 12th and the election is scheduled for April 7th.
