PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Mayor Kenny Wright said he went into the "lion's den" on Thursday night during a forum with all of the candidates for mayor.
Wright is running for re-election and has five challengers, including John Rowe, Shannon Glover, Cliff Page, Barry Randall, and James Sturdevant. They all outlined their visions for the city at the forum, which was hosted by the group People for Portsmouth.
"I'm in the lions' den and I don't mind," said Wright. "I'm going to stand on my ground. I'm going to defend my record."
The mayor listed several things he's proud of, including this year's budget and said the city's population is growing. "I am extremely pleased with the progress that we have made in this city since 2010," he said.
Other candidates called for change of the city's leadership. "This election is not about the current mayor," said John Rowe, a former city manager who is running. "It's about an under achieving government."
Mayor Wright didn't appreciate some of the questions from moderator Barbara Hamm Lee, a former WTKR news director. "I would say good question, but it's not," Wright said in response to a question about some of the closed session meetings held by the city council.
After the forum, he explained going into rooms where he's not the most popular is part of running for re-election. "You're going to run into areas that are not friendly," he said. "It was obvious from some of the questions that they were skewed."
The mayor also told reporters he didn't think he was treated fairly in reports of recall efforts against him. In response to a petition calling for his recall, he sent a statement reading, "The devil is always busy." He further explained the statement after the forum. "The devil causes us to bring the worst out in us," Wright said. "It may score points in rooms like this, but it hurts in the long run."
The mayor wants to focus on the city's positives. Election Day is November 8.
