Greensboro
In 2007, there was a failed recall effort against District 1 Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small which ended up saving her political career.
High Point
Last year, the six white councilmembers ganged up on Mayor Bernita Sims and Ward 2 Councilman Foster Douglas due to the former's legal trouble and the latter's unwillingness to pay legal fees to the city.
The real issue is competence
Those were two examples of the black community giving politicians a pass. If I recall correctly, wasn't blogger Ben Holder the driving force behind the recall petition? In any case, the tactic backfired and Bellamy-Small remained in power for another six years when she was very likely en route to a defeat after two terms because she was at odds with Greensboro's black establishment. Bellamy-Small was known for her belligerence, refusal to get along with other councilmembers, and not getting any meaningful legislation passed in her decade as a councilwoman.
But because Holder--or whoever--made the push to oust Bellamy-Small and ex-Councilwoman Florence Gatten's attacks in early to mid 2007 (Note: all Gatten had to do was to keep her mouth shut and Milton Kern would have never made it to November since it would have been Johnson-Gatten), black power brokers and ordinary East Greensboro residents alike perceived things from the viewpoint that "those white people are interfering in our business" and turned conventional wisdom on its head until Sharon Hightower ousted Bellamy-Small last year.
Unlike the Gate City, the Furniture City's black establishment and Old Money factions have showed no real signs of being in tandem, so there could have been a deep racial divide that would've taken a long time for High Point to heal.
Months before that failed effort to oust Sims, the odds of her being reelected weren't good based on the City Council's efforts to move municipal elections back to odd-numbered years and reinstate primaries (it'll now be up to us voters to decide). Given that both attempts passed along racial lines (6-3), Sims could have gotten some real big sympathy votes if she had run for a second term--not to mention the racially charged quotes mentioned in the Yes! Weekly article.
Instead of being humbled by her personal events, Sims said this:
If it wasn’t for pursuing that seat, I probably would have run again, and I feel very comfortable that I probably could have won again. I don’t have any doubts about that
Running for a State Senate seat in 2016? How about getting your personal house in order before resuming (what's left of) your political career, lady? I voted for her in 2012 but wouldn't have done so this year if she were even more delusional into running for a second mayoral term.
