Notes from the Campaign Trail
Public endorsements, meet-and-greets, photos, videos, and more as candidates reach out to the voters of Cloudcroft
[ANALYSIS]
This local election season has one major race for the village council—the mayor’s seat, with two choices—Timothy King or Gerald “Dusty” Wiley.
There are four open trustee seats—one position is available by nomination from the mayor and confirmation by the council. Three seats appear on the ballot, making for a friendly trustee campaign trail for Keith Hamilton, Gail McCoy, and Danny Hardwick.
Less friendly: the mayor’s race.
The Reader team has been following the action, from neighborhood gatherings and social media skirmishes to key endorsements that could shape the outcome.
Voting draws near in Cloudcroft—this Tuesday, November 4th. Over the past few weeks, Wiley and King have been debating, shaking hands at meet-and-greets, and sharing their visions for the village’s future.
Let’s take a closer look at the candidates’ outreach efforts, the promises driving their platforms, and the local voices rallying behind them.
Meet-and-Greets: What was said?
See for yourself. We’ll also link to more candidate videos at the end of this article.
Gary Mack Real Estate Offices recently hosted Wiley for gumbo and Q&A.
The Highland recently hosted King for charcuterie and conversation.
More than a dozen supporters attended each meet-and-greet event. Over 80 community members participated in the formal candidate debate held at the Lodge Pavilion on October 14th.
Since then, more debate has been taking place online between the two campaigns’ social media pages.
Social media breakdown
In contrast to the mostly polite formal mayor’s debate at the Pavilion, the campaign has turned gritty online.
In early October, Cloudcroft’s former Mayor Craig Turner announced through his Facebook page that he was endorsing Dusty Wiley in the mayor's race.
Shortly after, the Wiley online campaign announced plans to bring back former Cloudcroft Chief of Police Roger Schoolcraft to lead the department if Wiley is elected.
Schoolcraft confirmed his willingness to return under a Wiley administration—a move that would depend on the council's vote.
While Mayor King had no formal comment on the declaration, his campaign Facebook page shared a Reader article from December 30th of last year outlining recent resignations and the high-pressure environment the village found itself in.
Wiley’s supporters alleged that King’s campaign violated sign size rules, both online, at the October village council meeting, and at Wiley’s campaign meet-and-greets.
Mayor King was unavailable for comment.
King ruffled a few feathers with a lengthy “few notes” on his opponents’ endorsements from former Mayor Turner and former Chief Schoolcraft through his Facebook campaign page, with “Stay tuned for more…coming soon!”
Here are a few screenshots of the online shots fired between the Wiley and King camps. Click to enlarge:
In addition to former Mayor Turner and Schoolcraft’s endorsements, prominent community members have started making their picks public . See who is saying what about their choice for our next mayor.
Note: Endorsement quotes are presented as personal statements, even if those individuals are public officials.
Matt Willett endorses King
Local business owner Matt Willett recently posted a video on Facebook in support of the current Mayor King.
While endorsing King as a private citizen, Willett serves as chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. The Reader recently asked Willett about his public endorsement.
“Timothy is smart; he has no ulterior motives. He’s doing the thing that’s not glamorous, with no pay. The stuff that doesn’t give you credit ‘til it doesn’t get done,” he said.
“Bottom line: stick with the guy who’s been giving his all,” Willett said.
Joe John (JJ) Carrizal endorses Wiley
JJ Carrizal recently expressed his support for Wiley at a meet-and-greet at Dusty Boots Cafe.
The Reader asked Carrizal about his endorsement.
”I feel that our village’s progress, which was started with the previous administration, such as installing hydrants, meters, and roads, will continue with Dusty’s management background,” Carrizal said.
While this is a personal endorsement from Carrizal, he serves at the Public Works Supervisor for the Village of Cloudcroft. The Reader asked him about the aftermath of the election.
“Whoever wins, my department and I will continue to work hard for the village,” Carrizal said.
Photos from the Campaign Trail
ICYMI: Candidate Debate and Videos
The Reader has been following the election since day one. Watch our videos and get to know your candidates.
The Ballot
Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th, in Cloudcroft at the High School gym. Find more voting locations here.
The GO Bond will be on the ballot, benefiting Cloudcroft Schools and not raising tax rates.
Also on the docket, exactly as written:
Timothy Edward King and Gerald Dustin Wiley compete for Mayor;
Gail K McCoy, Keith Byron Hamilton, and Erwin D Hardwick will fill three of the four open seats for Trustee;
Mark Toliver Tatum seeks reelection as Municipal Judge; and,
Lance Howard Wright, Rebecca Michele Anthony, and Bruce W Odom compete for two open School Board seats.
More election coverage:
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