Now that the 2009 Lansing City Council elections are out of the way (barely), it's time to look at the next race, and two in particular: the 1st Ward and at-large.
Eric Hewitt will be vulnerable in the First Ward. He squeaked out a victory two years ago against incumbent Harold Leeman Jr., who didn't knock on any doors. Leeman doesn't appear to be a viable comeback candidate in 2011. Leeman had a poor showing in the at-large race this year, he came in last in a field of four, behind newcomer Rina Risper and way behind winning incumbents Brian Jeffries and Kathie Dunbar. Moreover, Hewitt will have a hard sell among progressive voters because of his negative votes on Frances Park and the sale of the North Capitol parking ramp to LCC. And, who knows what else in the next two years if he continues to position himself as anti-Virg Bernero.
And Carol Wood could be vulnerable as well. Her very poor showing in the mayor's race, where Bernero scored a lopsided victory despite her high name recognition, means more than just Bernero is a popular incumbent. Her 25-point defeat indicates that as voters got to know her better, many didn't like what they saw.
Two names are surfacing in both these races among politicos: Joan Nelson, the outgoing and respected executive director of the Allen Neighborhood Center, and Lynne Martinez, who until recently was the executive director of the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition. Both First Ward residents appear to be in good standing with the Bernero administration and both have good name recognition. Martinez might have an edge for a citywide race because of voters who will remember her as a three-term state representative in the '90s and a primary candidate for mayor in 2005. Nelson is highly respected in the First Ward for her work at the Allen Neighborhood Center (Hunter Park's revitalization, the new farmers market).

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