John Eaves, who resigned this week as chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to run for mayor of Atlanta, is widely praised for a collaborative style that helped steady the group once mainly known for its backbiting and ineffectiveness.
“John’s kind of been like a choral conductor, an orchestra conductor, trying to make sure we’re all on the same sheet of music,” Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said of Eaves’ decade at Fulton’s helm. “I’m disappointed that he’s leaving.”
Eaves has many fans in Fulton County and the region. But perhaps his biggest critic is the man who currently occupies the office he seeks.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has questioned Eaves’ ability to lead the city, saying in a statement penned by spokesperson Anne Torres that, “the best part about him quitting his job as the quasi-leader of Fulton County is that he will no longer be involved in public service once he loses his ill-fated race for Mayor of Atlanta.”
Eaves, for his part, said his record speaks for itself. Mayors across the region “saw me as a better partner than they saw the mayor of Atlanta,” he said.
The latest polls show Eaves has a long road ahead in his quest. He was tracking in the low single-digits in the race. As of his last financial report, July 7, he had raised a total of $137,682 and had $55,279 cash on hand. By contrast, Mary Norwood, who is leading in the polls, had raised more than $1 million and had $653,278 cash on hand.
For more about Eaves' work in Fulton County, and his prospects as mayor, read the full story on myAJC.com.
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