Monroe councilman drops plan for write-in campaign for mayor

Published 11:12 pm Thursday, September 3, 2009

MONROE — City Councilman Mitch Ruth met with about 20 supporters on Wednesday night to discuss running a write-in campaign for mayor, he said.

The group spoke for about three hours, with Ruth ultimately deciding to bow out of the race, he said.

Ruth lost the Aug. 18 primary to Mayor Donnetta Walser and former councilman Robert Zimmerman. Zimmerman took 32 percent of the vote to Ruth’s 30 percent, a margin of just 42 votes. Walser won 37 percent.

Ruth sounded reconciled to the narrow loss on Thursday.

“I’m not disappointed, I’m not upset, I’m not disheartened,” he said. “There are lots of opportunities for public service.”

Ruth’s decision brings the mayoral race into sharper focus. Walser plans to campaign on her record; she has served as mayor since 2002. Zimmerman, a one-term councilman now out of public office, likely will attack that same record.

The mayor serves a four-year term, earning $36,000 a year.

Zimmerman had speculated that a write-in campaign by Ruth could help Walser by splitting the vote between the two men. Both ran primary campaigns focused on change and a conservative approach to the city’s budget.

Instead, Ruth may be uninvolved in the Nov. 3 general election. He decided against endorsing either of his former opponents, in part because it felt hypocritical.

“That’s not sour grapes or nasty,” he said. “I’m just not convinced that doing so would be appropriate.”

Ruth’s plan going forward is clear.

“My role is to finish out my term as a councilman, to ensure that I do my very best for the people of the city,” he said.

Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.