Tuesday night's candidate's forums, sponsored by The Citizen, had a few surprises for those in attendance. The biggest by far is how well city councilor David Dempsey may have done against the party's endorsed mayoral candidate, former Auburn Fire Chief Michael Quill, in what is the first of what are likely to be several match ups this coming fall after Tuesday's Democratic primaries.

Questions didn't dance around the two issues that will top the discussion of each candidate over the next 53 days: Quill's role in fire department negotiations that resulted in major overtime bills (that lead to a forum discussion about his alleged repeated resignations); and Dempsey's personal troubles that have spilled into city hall.

What may have surprised most is that the two-term councilor did not pull any punches #- he struck hard on Quill's record #- maybe, with nothing to lose (and having the whole Democratic hierarchy against him) he felt he needed to draw debate blood, and did. By the way, neither candidate's answers and/or rebuttals were sufficient to say this is the end of the debate on these topics.

If Quill and his supporters were hoping to knock Dempsey down and/or out, it didn't happen. Such a wounding would allow Quill the upper hand in Tuesday's primary, where he has the natural advantage of having Democratic leaders energizing the rank and file for the party's endorsed candidate. For Dempsey to be a non-factor in November (either losing candidate will be on the ballot, through other lines), Quill would have to get 65 percent or more of the vote. Some political observers see the race much closer, helped by Dempsey's feistiness, style and command of multiple issues #- he can still impress those with his charismatic charm.

What may have been most interesting for those in attendance at the city council forum between incumbent Thomas McNabb, fellow Democratic nominee Gilda Brower and challenger Cherry Love Duncan was how well the challenger did. While many might have had low expectations about how she would have performed, there is little question that Love Duncan was the pleasant surprise of the evening.

Listening to both her answers and sincerity, it is clear that if Democratic voters truly want to change the status quo at city hall they should pull a lever for her on Tuesday. For all intents and purposes, it will be Democratic Primary voters who will determine who will sit on city council in January. Without any Republican opponents and only one third party candidate, Independent Peter Kotzer on the ballot, it is the Democrats race to lose.

Will Democratic voters want to bring “love” to city hall? Not if their leadership has anything to say about it.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com