(Above: Newcomer and progressive activist Hashani Wilkinson, Progressive Socialist for Doa City Mayor)
*Meant to be originally posted in April 2024*
Doa City’s election season is coming to a class, with 146 candidates contesting it’s 45 city council seats and 21 candidates competing to become the city’s next mayor.
Doa City is the largest city in Doatia, and arguably the most liberal. Because of that, this election is largely seen as a referendum liberal party’s. The EJP has dominated the political scene in Doa City for decades, but with Recardo’s low approval and tumultuous term, the newly formed Progressive Socialists have risen as the new favorites.
That doesn’t mean the EJP is giving up; they’re putting up a fight to hold onto local seats as possible and are still making a shot, a longshot, admittedly, for the Mayorship. Longtime EJP Councilman, 53 year old Frank LaRose is making a shot for the mayorship, highlighting his decades-long experience as a member of city council, and the recent effort, he led, to renovate public schools in the city passed by an EJP majority. The PLP once dominated Doa City politically, but haven’t since the early 90’s, having been replaced by the EJP. But, there are about a dozen city council seats where the PLP is still considered competitive. They’ve also, for the first time since 2003, thrown their hat in the ring for the mayorship with 73 year old Amber Justine, an advocate for senior citizens and longtime independent, running as a member of the PLP.
The Progressive Socialists are facing their first election day test, and have seen multiple favorable polls in Doa City’s election season. A PS majority is all but guaranteed, and a PS Mayor more likely than not. Their candidate: Hashani Wilkinson, a 27 year old political organizer and activist, who recently joined the Progressive Socialists after they were formed by Jax Bertoni. A competitive PS primary resulted in him being the favorite, and he’s enjoyed a comfortable majority for most of Doa City’s election cycle.
Hashani Wilkinson has run for Mayor of Doa city before, in 2022, as an independent against an EJP incumbent. He has often spoken about how he believes the EJP “sold out” working class Doatians when the joined the coalition with what he describes as the “weak, misguided, and ineffective” PLP. A majority of the funds his campaign has raised has gone to support PS city council candidates. At a recent speech, he’s said: “In order for us to lead Doa City and Doatia to prosperity, equality, equity, opportunity, and inclusion, we must achieve a government majority on all levels with true democratic socialists. That means not just a PS Mayor, but a PS majority on the city council too. That means a PS majority on the Doa City regional legislature, and a PS Doa City Regional Governor. And soon after, once Chancellor Recardo stops obstructing a free and fair election Doatians so richly deserve, a PS Majority in the Chamber and a PS Chancellor. Then and only then can we truly begin and accomplish the work that needs to be done.”
He was not only referring to Doa City’s upcoming election in September, but also the Doa Region’s election on the same day, which will see potentially a new regional legislature and governor elected for the region. He also referred to the recent attempt by PS Chair Jax Bertoni to hold snap elections for the Chamber, which Chancellor Recardo has tied up in court.
Doatia’s politics has certainly been filled with twists and turns as of late, however, and the Conservative Party is contesting several critical suburban council seats in Doa City to try and erode liberal dominance in the region. The CP is also contesting the mayorship, banking on the left fracturing itself to the point that the CP’s candidate can squeeze out a plurality of votes on election day. Spending historic amounts this cycle, Christina Lorenzo, chair of the Doa City Conservative Party, has been hitting suburban districts and trying to garner support from small business owners and higher-middle class communities.
With the 146 candidates contesting the city’s 45 council seats, the Environmental Justice Party is contesting all of them, defending incumbents in 32/45 seats. The Progressive Socialists are also contesting all of the seats. The Conservative Party is contesting 30/45 seats, defending 6 incumbents. The People’s Liberation Party is contesting 12/45 seats, defending 4 incumbents. The Doatian Nationalists are contesting 15 seats, and are defending 2 incumbents. There are 2 independent incumbents running for reelection in contested races, and 1 EJP incumbent is retiring from their seat. There are no other vacant seats on Doa City’s Council.
This morning, the Doatian Journal predicted the following:
City Council Polls:
19 seats – safe PS
4 seats – lean PS
5 seats – safe EJP
7 seats – lean EJP
1 seat – safe CP
1 seat – lean CP
0 seat – safe PLP
1 seat – lean PLP
0 seats – lean/safe DN
2 seats – safe for the incumbent independant
5 seats – competitive, no clear leader
Mayorship Polls:
Frank LaRose (EJP) 23%
Amber Justine (PLP) 2%
Christina Lorenzo (CP) 22%
Hashani Wilkinson (PS) 47%
Martin Wilcox (asked to not be mentioned in this article) (Independent) 2%
Undecided 3%
Other 1%
