TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! CANDIDATE JIM ROWLAND TALKS KANSAS CITY MAYORAL CAMPAIGN STRATEGY!!!

I had a really interesting talk with Kansas City Mayoral Candidate Jim Rowland yesterday at Westport Coffehouse.

The former Council Dude offered a lot of reasons why he could be the next Mayor of this cowtown and I have to admit he was convincing. But, to me, the most important thing about his candidacy in the early stages of the race is his willingness to dispel the Kansas City insider rumor that he's a dick, meanie or some other variant of hot head.

For me this public perception is difficult because I know local politics and I remember Mayor Funky back when he was a nice guy. Funkhouser charmed all of Kansas City with stories that he really wanted to be a social worker, he was committed to KC above all and his so-called "liberal" views would inform his administration . . . And we all know how those good intentions turned out. Still, sitting down with Rowland for almost an hour convinced me that he's not inherently evil as so many of his critics have made him out to be . . . His years of work as a volunteer baseball coach might speak to that . . . Who knows if the political insider "personality problem" will stick. I have to give him credit for being nice enough to meet with a lowly local blogger like myself.

Now, onto the important stuff . . . Rowland is an experienced politico. His two Council terms and Sports Authority experience put him at the epicenter of local power players. In fact, Rowland contends that his Council experience combined with a four year hiatus from the current hot mess of Kansas City legislators gives him a distinct advantage. In terms of competition, I thought it was interesting that Rowland compared his experience on the Budget and Audit Committee to that of Mayoral Candidate Deb Herman's current work on Finance and Audit. The only difference, Rowland contends, was that there was far less hostility.

"I've never seen anything like the level of dysfunction among the City Council and the Mayor," Rowland said. "I think what's needed is real leadership and the ability to form a consensus."

We talked all things Kansas City but for the most part it looks like he's going to run on a "jobs platform" that could be extremely relevant during this Great Recession that continues to linger. He also touted his work as a Teacher at University Academy along with his forays into the urban core with former City Council Dude Troy Nash.

On the topic of local geopolitics . . .

I contend that the Northland could be drastically split this time around but Rowland not only sees the increasingly crowded Mayoral field as an advantage but also touts his experience as an active member of the Southwest Corridor as a key to victory.

Remember, the 4th District is home to the richest people in Kansas City.

Most of the ardent, local political Denizens live in the 4th District.

When it comes to community meetings, Mayoral debates and all kinds of events in recent history: The 4th District is what makes or breaks a Kansas City political career.

While Rowland was decidedly respectful of his opponents there's no mistaking that he feels confident about his chances at winning the race and like every Mayoral Candidate in Kansas City, what he really wants is a run-off in the general election with Mayor Funkhouser.

But it's not all sunshine and lollipops even at the outset of this Mayoral race. More than a few Kansas City political insiders can't get over . . .

PAT GRAY AND STEVE GLORIOSO ARE RUNNING ROWLAND'S CAMPAIGN!!!

For many people, this pair of political operatives symbolize something more than just a campaign team. They're more like a school of thought when it comes to local government. Rowland acknowledges this perception.

"I've been in politics long enough to make enemies and some people aren't going to like anything I do," he bluntly replied. "But Steve and Pat are good at what they do and they don't tell me what to say."

And with that, I think I stumbled onto one of Rowland's strengths. He has kind of a "guy's guy" public persona and with so many INCREDIBLY HUGE EGOS currently dominating the Kansas City political spectrum, this might be a welcomed change.

Developing . . .