Former Mayor Fraenkel Running for Committee As Independent Democrat

With the primary election on Tuesday, June 5, Springfield Democrats will have to choose between three candidates for Township Committee: the two party-backed candidates; and former Mayor Bart Fraenkel.

The race marks something of a return to the fold for Fraenkel. Elected as a Democrat, Fraenkel grew estranged from the township’s party over appointments to the Springfield boards. In his last political race, he ran as an independent in a race with two Democrats. 

“It’s very clear that in Springfield, an independent candidate can only be a spoiler,” Fraenkel said. “Too many people vote straight down the party line.”

With the election coinciding with the presidential election, Democrats are likely to be successful at the polls this year. There are more registered Democrats than Republicans in Springfield. Voters heading to the polls to pull the lever for Obama are likely to keeping voting “D."

With that outlook in mind, Fraenkel believes the township’s Democratic party will fall in line behind him if he wins the nomination. In addition, he said he’s already been able to mend fences with some in the party.

“With the newer, younger members, I have a good relationship,” Fraenkel said. “We talk. We discuss. We don’t always agree, but there’s no animosity.”

He readily admits that animosity does remain in one relationship.

“Ziad [Shehady] I don’t like professionally or personally,” he said.

Fraenkel and the current Mayor are former allies whose alliance fractured during Shehady’s first term as Mayor. After his relationship with the Democrats frayed, Fraenkel campaigned for Republicans Jerry Fernandez and Marc Krauss. With the Republicans the majority party on the committee and Fraenkel an independent, Shehady appointed Fraenkel Deputy Mayor. Fraenkel clashed with Shehady with increasing frequency over the year, and Committee meetings became forums were marked by and . 

Fraenkel became . He attributed the friction to Shehady’s selective approach to the facts. 

“Ziad tells you things that are correct in and of themselves,” Fraenkel said. “They’re correct in a vacuum.”

He believes that Springfield officials are operating in a way that runs counter to their campaign promises.

“The Republicans are doing everything that they said the Democrats would do,” Fraenkel said, asserting that the GOP candidates promised more across the aisle efforts than they came through on. He said this has a negative effect on governance. “It leads to one person in one party calling all the shots. And that’s not how it’s supposed to be.”

When asked for comment, Shehady said that in light of how he was not not running in this election, he was surpised Fraenkel would bring him up

"I think it just goes to show how it’s all about some personal vendetta he has against me," Shehady said. "His candidacy is a reminder to voters that he once ran and won as a Democrat but then got kicked out of that party for a lack of integrity, honor and because he gave the Springfield Democratic Party a taste of their own medicine – he takes advantage of people to further his own selfish agenda."

Fraenkel said that if elected, his priorities would be public safety and working with property owners to bring about improvements to town businesses.

He characterized the recent business poll enacted by the Springfield Business Improvement District as an empty, politically driven effort saying the poll wouldn’t accomplish anything other than make it appear that the current administration is busy with the question of town business. Fraenkel believes the real answer to business improvement is getting property owners on board.

“You have to get property owners to buy in,” Fraenkel said. “You have to show them that they will have a return on their investment.”

Discussing his last bid for office, where he garnered 900 votes as an independent, Fraenkel saw an example of his ability to transcend party politics.

“When I ran as an independent, I got 900 votes,” Fraenkel said. “My wife said that 900 people voted for you, not a party.”