Why would the people of Cleveland want Kucinich to be their mayor again? Has it just been so long since 1979 that he's become a meme and nobody remembers what a disaster he actually was as mayor?
Kucinich was mayor for only one two-year term, and voters tried to recall him only three months into his term. He survived the recall by 0.2%. Why was he recalled? He pressured the incredibly popular police chief to investigate and attack his political enemies, and when the police chief refused, Kucinich fired him on live television.
Kucinich also made Cleveland the first American city to go into financial default since the Great Depression. To salvage the city's finances, he advocated for a 50% increase in the city's income tax, despite campaigning against a tax increase. One consequence of all this was an assassination attempt by the Cleveland mafia. It's incredible that Kucinich accomplished all this in just two years.
At the end of the day he lost re-election in a 14% landslide. Then he moved to L.A. and was unemployed and broke for 15 years until he was able to win election in OH-10 over incumbent Martin Hoke who was saddled with a sexual harassment hot mic scandal.
Given the politics of energy in Ohio, Kucinich's term as Mayor has been pretty much entirely vindicated. Re-examination of his decision to save Cleveland Public Power from FirstEnergy is what allowed for Kucinich's initial comeback in the State Senate, and the issue of corrupt public utilities is all the more salient today.
Not to say Kucinich should or will be Mayor again, but there is an obvious play.
