Joel Conelly: ''African-American leaders back Mallahan"

Joel Connelly:

In an election where the Central Area and South Seattle are key battlegrounds, a trio of African-American leaders have thrown their support behind the Seattle mayoral candidacy of Joe Mallahan.

The Mallahan endorsers are King County Councilman and activist Larry Gossett; 37th District State Rep. Eric Pettigrew; and Metropolitan Seattle Urban League President James Kelly.

"I've worked on race and social justice issues my entire life: I know the 'real deal' when it comes to walking the talk on social justice, not just arguing the point. The 'real deal is Joe Mallahan," Gossett said in a statement.

While a vice president and trouble shooter at T-Mobile, Mallahan has stressed his training by the Industrial Areas Foundation - an organization founded by famed community organizer Saul Alinsky.

Pettigrew, a rising legislator in Olympia, argued that Seattle "needs a mayor that will get things done" and described Mallahan as "the right guy for these times."
"In this time of economic crisis, Joe is the leader that will create . . . opportunities for everyone in Seatle," said Kelly.

Incumbent Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels finished out of the running in the August primary.
Still, Nickels' strongest support came in South Seattle neighborhoods. Leaders of Seattle's minority communities lined up behind hizzoner last summer at the Northwest African American Museum when Nickels outlined his reelection platform.

Seattle attorney Mike McGinn, Mallahan's opponent, blitzed South Seattle with a series of town meetings shortly after the primary.

Mallahan won an early supporter in former state Rep. Dawn Mason. He has since gained support from Seattle School board member Cheryl Chow, state Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenny, and other community leaders.

Howie P.S.: Meanwhile, over at SLOG today, they are making their preference known.