Kansas City Municipal Primary 2023: Mayor Q Vs. FOP Prez Brad Lemon

For a couple of weeks I've been thinking about writing a column about this Kansas City dichotomy betwixt police & the mayor's office but with voter turnout peaking at 7% . . . It's really not worth it. A blog post is good enough. 

So let's make is plain . . . 

INSIDERS KNOW THIS ELECTION IS REALLY NOTHING MORE THAN MAYOR Q ATTEMPTING TO RALLY AGAINST CANDIDATES BACKED BY KANSAS CITY'S FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE LEADER BRAD LEMON!!!

The FOP has raised around $300K during this election cycle and they have a few great picks along with more than a few mediocre candidates they're supporting. 

We think they'll have some success but with turnout looking so low . . . Runaway victories will be rare. 

More importantly . . .

This grudge match is bad for Kansas City.

Why???

Because police leadership vs. city hall is unproductive as evidenced by the worsening homicide count. Council victories aren't going to solve the crisis. 

As always . . . TKC is on the side of voters & residents and we don't really care to take part in anyone's gambit for money and/or power.

One council insider whom we respect offered a great quote that still resonates . . .

"1500 is the only number I care about . . . That's how much police we need right now. I don't care what a candidate says, it they can't get behind that number . . . Then they don't have my support." 

In many ways . . . That's the most honest comment we've heard throughout this election cycle.

From both perspectives . . .

Candidates supporting police are worth considering because KCPD is low on staffing and there needs to be checks & balances against the Mayor's often radical agenda that's mostly focused on building his progressive credentials for bigger & better opportunities in the nation's capital. 

On the other hand . . .

The po-po have had 50 YEARS to boost their numbers and INSTEAD decided to buy toys like the useless SHOTSPOTTER garbage rather than focusing on hiring more officers. 

More to the point . . . 

Let's not get carried away by this political grudge match.

As always . . . We remind voters that the misguided leadership of police trying to play politics helped put Mayor Q in office in the first place.

Ah . . . These were simpler times when these local "leaders" could agree that thwarting an openly gay candidate was the worth enduring a collab. 

Now . . . 

The police union vendetta against Mayor Q is the only real fight worth watching as about half of the council field could give Mayor Q a very hard time in his next term. 

It'll all make for exciting times at 12th & Oak . . . But will any of it reduce the historic Kansas City deadly crime surge?!?! NOBODY is promising that . . . 

You decide . . .