Alderman Lewis Reed beat incumbent President of the Board of Alderman Jim Shrewsbury the old-fashioned way, with voter contact through ground troops and phone banks and an impressively diverse roster of endorsements. Though his unexpectedly well-funded campaign was in many ways traditional, his victory could point to a new and hopeful direction for politics in St. Louis.
Reed borrowed a phrase from former Mayor Freeman Bosley Jr. and played both “the white keys and the black keys.” Reed was able to assemble and maintain a coalition that included everyone from former 1st Ward Alderman Irene Smith to 14th Ward Alderman Stephen Gregali. He galvanized a rainbow coalition of supporters, which according to early voter returns was responsible for his strong showing in South St. Louis, including getting more than 40 percent of the votes in the 24th Ward.
Some white voters surely turned against Shrewsbury for his obstinate refusal to support the Barnes-Jewish Hospital lease extension. However, it also is clear that many voters of all races supported Reed because he promises a new, more timely approach to citywide politics. Young, tireless, intelligent, technologically savvy, focused on policy in all its minutiae – indeed, something of wonk – Reed is a type of candidate that St. Louis needs more of. That he happens to be African-American clearly was beside the point for many of the Central Corridor and South Side voters who cast a vote that would bring a black majority to power on the city’s chief fiscal body, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment.
Black voters are accustomed to voting for white candidates – most recently, Claire McCaskill – accepting the argument that the candidate will represent the better interests of the black community. At the moment, it seems that more white voters in St. Louis are willing to vote for a black candidate when they believe that he or she represents the better interests of the entire city. This is, to say the least, a promising development and a good omen for more constructive cooperation.
It became an accepted truism in this campaign, if not before, that St. Louis must overcome its bitter racial divisions if it is to advance as a world-class city that can compete for talent and economic development dollars. The election of Lewis Reed promises a step in the direction of this necessary political evolution.
While Shrewsbury is not personally to blame for the politics that St. Louis needs to transcend, his career is firmly rooted in the divisive old order. He says he is not finished with politics, and our door is open to him on his next campaign trail. Since Reed’s election is certain, we firmly urge Shrewsbury to work closely with the president elect in the transition of power, very much including a possible appointment to a transitional governing body for the St. Louis Public Schools. Should the president of the Board of Aldermen be required to appoint a member to a transitional school board for the public schools before Reed is sworn into office, clearly voters would want Shrewsbury to consult with Reed regarding this important appointment.