Gibson first to announce for Macon mayoral bid

Gibson first to announce for Macon mayoral bid

By Travis Fain


Macon's 2007 mayoral race got an early start Friday morning as local Republican Arlan Gibson formally announced his intention to run.

Qualifying for the race won't begin until next year, but Gibson said he needed to get an early jump because he's a relative unknown in Macon politics.

"I'm kind of a dark horse - no pun intended," said Gibson, one of a few black Republicans to offer for local office. "I kind of have to get out of the gate early."

Gibson's announcement was short on details - he said he plans to release his comprehensive plan for the city soon - and focused on his broader ideas. He said he wants to fill "a deficit of good and moral leadership in the city."

He said his priorities are: a strong police force; working "side by side with the Board of Education" and parents to strengthen local schools; and a "resistance" to higher taxes and a pledge to lower them "if economically feasible."

Gibson is the first person to hold a news conference and announce for the mayor's office, though Macon City Council President Anita Ponder has long said she's planning a run for the office. Others have said they're considering a run, including former state Rep. Robert Reichert.

Gibson's announcement is "probably going to start a domino reaction" among other potential candidates, Reichert said.

Gibson lives in unincorporated Bibb County, but said he plans to move inside the city limits - a pre-requisite for holding office - "very shortly."

Though he is embracing his novelty as a black Republican, Gibson said he hopes people will judge him by his character.

"I'm tired of the great racial divide that polarizes this city," he said. "And what my leadership will do will bring us together."