When you run for political office, hope springs eternal.  There's no point putting in all the time, money, and angst if you honestly don't think you can win.  Independent candidate Kevin Acklin seems convinced that he can defeat Mayor Luke Ravenstahl this November, and he's putting together a team to make it happen.

     Acklin is a South Oakland boy who has Democratic family roots -- his grandpa was a Democratic committeeman -- who ultimately became a Republican before switching to Independent to make this run for office.  The Central Catholic grad got a scholarship to attend Harvard University and then got his law degree from Georgetown University.  In short, the dude is pretty smart.

     But it's his deep roots in blue collar Pittsburgh that his strategists say make him a compelling candidate for mayor.  The guy is nothing if not a hard worker, already out knocking on doors in neighborhoods that don't normally see the candidates.  And he's trying to raise money to make this a competitive race -- i.e., television, radio, and direct mail -- in the Fall.  After only a few weeks as a candidate, he has already raised almost as much as Patrick Dowd, Luke's Democratic challenger, raised during the whole primary season.

     The good news for Ravenstahl -- and bad news for Acklin -- is that there's another Independent candidate in the race:  Franco "Dok" Harris.  Harris has a great Pittsburgh name and the looks to go with it -- he's the spitting image of his Dad, the great Franco Harris of Steelers fame.  Dok has quite the resume, too -- a graduate of Sewickley Academy, Princeton University, with a Masters degree from CMU's Tepper School and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh. 

     While Acklin seems to have put together a campaign team -- a mix of both Democratic field organizers and Republican strategists -- Harris' campaign is much more laid-back.  But it won't matter if Harris can raise enough money to make a case for himself.  A split among the anti-Ravenstahl votes guarantees Luke reelection to a 4-year turn.

     So with 16 weeks to go, all the advantage goes to Luke Ravenstahl.  But I learned a long time ago to never underestimate a challenger who is hungry for the job.  This race has the potential to get exciting.  By Labor Day, we should know.