Sunday, March 20, 2011

SCPR CITY HALL SERIES: HARPER VERSUS HAWK - CANTON WARD ONE


"I'm no Republican," he says.  But he ran as a Republican in the November, 2001 general election against Democrat Greg Hawk in Ward One - City of Canton.  That's the reality.

When the SCPR interviewed "Robert" (when running as a Republican) "Bob" Harper at the January coming out party for Mayor William J. Healy, II on his announcement that he was running for re-election for mayor of Canton, Harper was indignant that The Report had referred to his Republican credentials in blogs about the Harper/Hawk Democratic primary contest in 2009.


Harper also said that he is a former steelworker, as if a steelworker per se could not have Republican ties and that therefore the 2009 blogs had to be wrong.  Well, look at the graphic above.  Hmm!

Both times that Harper ran against Hawk (who has been councilperson in the 1st since 2001 when he ousted incumbent Democratic Councilman Robert Hunter), he has gotten beaten handily (percentage wise) in both races.


Notice in the video below how Harper chooses to put his 2009 loss to Hawk in terms of only 60 votes (actually 65) whereas in reality the more significant figure is the 58% to 42% shellacking he took in that race.  The disparity was even greater when Harper ran as a Republican 67% to 32%.

What's more, it appears to the SCPR that Harper has aligned with Mayor William J. Healy, II.  Harper denies the tie, but The Report believes that the reality is that he is Healy's man as the Mayor is incensed with the opposition he gets from Hawk from his council perch of being the chairman of the Canton City Council Finance Committee.

Hawk is Healy opponent William Smuckler's foremost supporter (in Canton government) in his challenge to unseat Healy.

It appears to the SCPR that Hawk is much more forthright than Harper and on this account alone the better choice for Ward One voters.  Moreover, as finance chair he has a grasp of Canton city finances that serves to keep the Healy administration more accountable than it might otherwise be. 

Here is a video of both Harper and Hawk which will serve to provide Ward One voters with a glimpse of each on some Canton City Council issues.

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