Sins of the Son Complicating Mom's Political Career?
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick attends a hearing in 36th District Court to determine his travel restrictions.
Bill Pugliano, Getty ImagesDetroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's legal troubles and tarnished image could manage to undo the political career of his mother, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.
Her congressional seat is being challenged by "two credible candidates," as the Detroit Free Press describes them. Here's more:
Two Democratic candidates -- state Sen. Martha Scott, a veteran local, county and state politician from Highland Park, and former state Rep. Mary Waters, a scrappy Detroit politician -- will face Cheeks Kilpatrick in the Aug. 5 primary election. Scott and Waters are trying to unseat the veteran politician from the 13th Congressional District seat she has held since 1996.
Scott and Waters got into the race after Mayor Kilpatrick was charged with eight felony counts relating to a whistle-blower lawsuit, which the city ended up settling for $8.4 million in taxpayer money. The legal problems facing the mayor are quickly becoming a key ingredient in his mother's re-election efforts.
Is Cheeks Kilpatrick in any way responsible for her son's alleged misdeeds? Should her career take a hit? If you live in Detroit, tell us how this is playing out on a local level.
Tags: Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick | Detroit | Kwame Kilpatrick
11:59 AM ET | 06-11-2008 | permalink
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