Ellis says he's running for mayor

Published on 3/3/2009 by the Times Union written by JORDAN CARLEO-EVANGELIST, Staff writer

ALBANY — In his own official biography, Common Councilman Corey Ellis lists the insurgent 2004 campaign of Albany County District Attorney David Soares as his start in politics.
Soares, a little-known prosecutor, made a name for himself in the Arbor Hill and West Hill neighborhoods working in the district attorney's office's Clinton Avenue outpost, and used that as a springboard to stun Albany's Democratic establishment by beating the incumbent.

Five years later, as Ellis, 38, enters the race for mayor, he may be looking to replicate Soares' rise. One of his challenges will be to take his own advocacy over the last four years for the issues facing his Arbor Hill community and craft a citywide message of reform and renewed energy.

Ellis began that task Monday morning at the Crowne Plaza when he announced his candidacy for mayor. The Arbor Hill native's 10-minute speech touched on familiar issues, like combating gang violence and blighted buildings, as well as those beyond the bounds of his own ward, including the city's nearly full landfill and perilous reliance on what he called dwindling state aid. He pledged to pull city finances from what he called a veil of secrecy.

"We cannot afford four more years of missed opportunities to strengthen our neighborhoods, to create opportunities to lift people out of poverty and despair, to find ways to ease the growing tax burden of our homeowners," Ellis said, citing his work as chairman of Albany for Obama and, like Obama, as a community organizer. Ellis, who majored in political science at Fordham University, is director of the Trinity Institution's Family and Neighborhood Resource Center.

Ellis enters a crowded Democratic field. Common Council President Shawn Morris is poised to announce in the coming days. Four-term incumbent Mayor Jerry Jennings is strongly indicating, if not explicitly saying, he will run. City resident Marlon Anderson also has said he'll run.

"Today, Albany stands at a crossroads. Today we face unprecedented challenges in this nation. And while the President is taking bold actions to address the crisis, those actions alone cannot address the long-standing problems in our cities," Ellis said. "If we're going take advantage of the new leadership coming from Washington, we need new leadership here in Albany."

While Ellis' message was a hit with the more than 50 supporters — including fellow council members Dominick Calsolaro and Barbara Smith, and his mother, Mary, and father, Elmer — the extent to which it will resonate with voters citywide remains to be seen.

Ellis' narrow 2005 victory over incumbent Councilman Michael Brown was remarkable for how unlikely it seemed. He lost the Democratic primary to Brown by the slimmest of margins, but came back to win the general election by running on the Working Families Party line. The support of the WFP — and the access to thousands of dollars of campaign contributions it provided — helped Soares win in 2004.

Both Ellis and Morris already have informally approached the party, even though the formal endorsement process is months off, said Karen Scharff, co-chair of the party's Capital District chapter.

Morris, as council president, already has shown she can win a citywide race.

In Jennings, they will face a well-known and well-funded candidate with strong support in county's Democratic establishment. On Monday afternoon, the mayor, who has clashed with city school officials, stood with Superintendent Eva Joseph, Smith, Morris and other local leaders for the announcement of the Albany Community Afterschool Network, which will broaden the reach of after-school programs.

Calsolaro, who introduced Ellis on Monday, said a mayoral race could be waged for as little as $250,000 to $300,000, but cited fundraising as one of the reasons he opted not to challenge Jennings.

Jennings already has more than $120,000 in his campaign account.

"I think people are awful tired of hearing that you have to have money to win. ... It comes down to who's going to use the shoe leather the most, who's going to talk to everybody, and I think Corey's the one that can do that," Calsolaro said.

Some have expressed concerns that two strong candidates opposing Jennings might dilute the opposition and indirectly pave the way for his re-election. Others, like Calsolaro, are optimistic it will lead to a better public debate about the city's problems and how to fix them.

"We can still have the right person — and right now the right person in my mind is Corey Ellis. ... One of the advantages of having multiple candidates is that the issues are going to get out there."

Ellis said he's not worried, either. "We're going to be talking to the citizens of Albany. I'm not worried about split votes. I believe we have a message that resonates with everyone throughout the city," he said.

Reach Carleo-Evangelist at 454-5445 or by e-mail at jcarleo-evangelist@timesunion.com.