Kevin G. A. Melloy wants to become the first openly gay mayor of Wilmington, Del.
But his candidacy hit a snag last month when he was removed from the Republican ballot due to alleged lack of payment of the $4,520 filing fee imposed by the GOP.
Melloy, 50, has vowed to soldier on as a write-in candidate, unaffiliated with any political party. And he’s eager to put the filing-fee flap behind him.
“I’m an optimist,” he told PGN. “I’m too excited about the possibilities of improving Wilmington to be dragged down by that.”
In July, the New Castle County Republican Committee endorsed Melloy’s mayoral bid.
He wrote a filing-fee check for $4,520 to the committee — making it clear that his checking account didn’t have sufficient funds at that time for the check to be cashed, he said.
The following month, the Republican State Committee of Delaware tried to cash the check.
After it bounced, Melloy’s endorsement was pulled and his name was removed from the GOP ballot.
Melloy questioned whether homophobia contributed to his removal from the ballot.
He said the check wouldn’t have bounced if state GOP officials had given him more time and assistance to raise the funds during the course of his campaign.
“They [state GOP officials] did me wrong,” he said. “Cashing the check was at their discretion. Their timing is suspect. I believe they wanted the check to bounce, so they could have an excuse to get me off the ballot.”
J. John Fluharty, executive director of the RSCD, had no comment for this story.
John W. Rollins, chairperson of the New Castle County Republican Committee, expressed regret about Melloy’s removal.
“We absolutely regret the sequence of events that led to Kevin Melloy’s removal from the ballot,” Rollins told PGN. “We wish him well as a write-in candidate. We also hope to welcome him back to work with the Republican Party to make a positive impact on the city of Wilmington.”
If elected mayor, Melloy would oversee about 1,100 city workers and a budget of about $143 million.
His annual salary would be about $112,000, with perks including health coverage, pension benefits and a city car.
Melloy is a licensed Realtor and artist. He owns several rental properties in Wilmington, along with an art gallery in Puerto Rico.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Delaware.
All of those accomplishments render him qualified to be mayor, he said.
“I have good management skills. It’s not that I have all the answers but I have the ability to work with people from all walks of life. I’m comfortable talking with a janitor or the CEO of a major company. We all need to work together to make this a better city.”
Still, Melloy realizes that victory in November is a long shot, acknowledging that Dennis P. Williams, the Democratic nominee for mayor, is the odds-on favorite.
But Melloy remains upbeat about his write-in candidacy.
“There are many people who share my vision for Wilmington,” he said. “That’s very gratifying. And I think I have a better chance of winning as an independent, rather than running as a Republican. So many people have told me they would never vote for a Republican for any reason.”
Wilmington has a population of approximately 70,000, and is located about 27 miles south of Philadelphia.
The predominantly Democratic town hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since 1969.
Melloy’s main goal as mayor would be to bolster Wilmington’s neighborhoods, he said.
“Wilmington is a city of neighborhoods, so the key to improving Wilmington is to revitalize its neighborhoods,” he said. “A lot of the neighborhoods have been in decline, and I want to reverse that trend.”
He’s formulated a series of proposals to accomplish that aim: promoting the arts and cultural exchange, encouraging volunteerism, harmonizing race relations, beautifying the environment, increasing grants for the development of vacant properties (particularly corner properties), expanding mass transit, creating more pathways for cyclists and pedestrians and pursuing innovative ways of dealing with crime.
One of his biggest supporters is Carolyn Haon, a Wilmington resident and longtime friend.
“Kevin has a big heart,” Haon told PGN. “He’d be a great mayor for Wilmington. He’s extremely sensitive to the city. Our crime rate is awful. And I think Kevin has tons of good ideas. He does have an uphill battle, but I feel strongly that he’s very capable for the job.”
His previous mayoral bid on the GOP ballot in 1992 was cut short due to a family crisis, he said.
“I’m very honored to have another opportunity to run for mayor,” he said. “I’m passionate about Wilmington. I’ve lived here most of my life. My family goes back generations in this city. I’m excited about the possibility of helping this great city move forward into the 21st century.”