Thompson, Nixon and Abuzuaiter receive Hardy's endorsement

I previously reported that Danny Thompson received DJ Hardy's endorsement in the at-large contest for Greensboro City Council. What I didn't report is that Gary Nixon and Marikay Abuzuaiter, the other at-large candidates who are neither incumbents nor candidates who have previously served, also received Hardy's endorsement. (My source was Thompson, who didn't mention the other endorsements, and I wasn't able to reach Hardy on the phone until today.)

Enough of the excuses.

DJ Hardy, who did not survive the Oct. 6 primary, says he wants change and a greater voice for young people in Greensboro politics. The low turnout in the primary and the inability of candidates under the age of 40 to gain traction is evidence of a failure of the city's past and current leadership to establish a connection with young residents.

Hardy said he supports Thompson's vision of economic development.

"The main reason is I think his approach in terms of advocating for lower taxes and his experience with small business coincides with the way I see things," Hardy told me. "I think that's what the city needs right now. We disagree about the gang unit. There are some other things, principally on the social side where we disagree."

"Gary Nixon and Danny Thompson are more aligned on economic development. Marikay is more aligned with me on the development of the east side of the city. She's also a small-business person."

Hardy said he didn't exact any commitments from the candidates in exchange for his endorsement.

"We did discuss the fact that I have a dear spot in my heart for the east side of the city," he said. "I think it's important to be open minded abut that and to make sure we bring a greater focus to the area in any sort of vision of the east side of the city that is considered."

Robbie Perkins and Sandra Anderson Groat have traditionally performed well with the electorate in east Greensboro, but Hardy thinks it's time for them to go.

"When I look at Danny next to Robbie Perkins, Robbie Perkins has been in office for awhile. As much as he likes to tout east Greensboro, he knows all the players but they haven't really accomplished much. I'm thinking his vision of east Greensboro doesn't go much further than Murrow Boulevard."

Hardy said he might consider running for city council again in 2011, but for the moment he's more focused on finding ways to get younger voters to participate in the political process, with the possibly by putting together a board of young political leaders with representatives from the Democratic and Republican party.

"We don't really have any young representation for the city," Hardy said. "We don't have the right candidates to really rally the 18-44 range. If we really want to be sitting at the forefront that's responsive and proactive we've really got to have a way for the younger generation and creative people to not have to go through a vetting stage and do an effective job but not really get the votes to make it through the primary. We have to be able to make it possible for a newcomer to get in there and get the votes. It shouldn't revolve around money, which at this stage it seems its does."

"If I can't get the demographic that I appeal to to show up [in future elections], I couldn't make it. Ryan Shell couldn't make it. Jorge couldn't make it. Max Benbassat couldn't make it. If you look at the primary results, the four young guys didn't make it. The gap between was quite well defined."