Thank goodness the city elections will be over tomorrow. The mayoral candidates are doing their best to eliminate themselves at the last minute. Here’s a snapshot:

In an effort to diversify her base of support (over 80% white) Carol Chumney joins a parade through a majority-black neighborhood and decides to throw soap instead of candy. Surprise!

Mayor Willie Herenton stages a rally and invites as the guest of honor his nemesis Harold Ford Sr., who then fails to show up, staying in Memphis only long enough to cast an illegal vote. Surprise!

Herman Morris successfully positions himself as a “bridge,” the candidate drawing the most support from both ends of the ideological and racial spectrum, but ultimately fails to win a plurality of either group. Surprise!

John Willingham secures the official endorsement of his party with a divisive steering committee power play, registers so low in the polls that his name is essentially dropped from the news coverage, yet continues to stay in the race. Surprise!

Meanwhile, what seems like the majority of candidates for city council are found to have either criminal records, multiple bankruptcies or unpaid taxes. Surprise!

Who would have ever guessed?