In a potentially game-changing move, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates announced his endorsement of former mayor Sheila Dixon in the upcoming mayoral race on Monday. Bates cited the need for a united front with the mayor’s office to effectively combat the city’s surging crime rates.
“You can’t do anything and be successful without relationships,” Bates stated at a press conference. “Mayor Dixon is the one person that I know will be a true partner for myself and the office of the state’s attorney.”
Bates praised Dixon’s “tough on crime” record, believing she is best suited to curb the escalating quality of life offenses like the 106% spike in car thefts and 30% rise in property crimes compared to last year.
“I think I speak for the majority of people when I say they want collaboration, they want us to be partners,” Dixon responded. “I can be the Mayor to move this city forward.”
The endorsement highlights Bates’ strained relationship with incumbent Mayor Brandon Scott. “We just have two different philosophies in fighting crime,” Bates claimed, accusing Scott of hindering his initiative to enforce lower-level offenses.
Bates alleged Scott wants to continue the controversial “no prosecution” policies of former prosecutor Marilyn Mosby, which many blame for enabling lawlessness preceding Baltimore’s crime surge. However, Scott has firmly denied any ties to Mosby’s policies.
Political analyst John Dedie called Bates’ endorsement of Dixon “a huge endorsement” and “potentially a death sentence” for Scott’s campaign, citing Bates’ high approval ratings as “the most popular, politically elected leader in Baltimore.”
With the primary just over a month away on May 14th, the rift between the state’s attorney and mayor could prove pivotal in deciding whether Baltimore’s crime-fighting strategy takes a new direction under Dixon.