Antonio Campbell

Sideshow Bob - Antonio Campbell, the Republican candidate for City Council president, called a press conference on the steps of the Baltimore City Public School System's North Avenue command center Sept. 29 to weigh in on what's wrong with public education. (Oct. 6, 1999)
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Antonio Campbell
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By 1986, Antonio Campbell had served three years in the army "jumping out of airplanes" while earning tuition money.He later ended up veering between Baltimore and his hometown, eventually finishing 12 credits short of a degree in public policy from the University of Pittsburgh.While his father and mother, Winnie, found work as co-pastors of a West Baltimore church and in jobs at a local factory and apartment complex, respectively, Campbell began to explore politics in Baltimore, which he calls "a great, livable community with some problems."

Those politics, dominated by Democrats, didn't strike him as livable."I couldn't figure out why people who were obviously ineffective were being re-elected," Campbell says.His dissatisfaction with the status quo led him to enter the political fray.That he is an outsider is one of his chief qualifications for the council president's seat, he contends: "If I'm elected, it will be an issues-oriented council, instead of a personality-driven one."

Of course, that outsider status may also be a drag on Campbell's ability to compete for contributions.September campaign reports show that he has raised a little more than $1,500-far less than the $50,000 he would need to run a television-ad campaign.