Christopher Silvia, the owner of a restaurant on South Main Street known as “Christopher’s”, is challenging Democratic incumbent Mayor Paul Coogan. Silvia had originally announced his intentions to run for office via a Facebook post on July 10.
Coogan is vying for his fourth term, while this is Silvia’s first run for public office — something that he touts as a strength. About 30 of his supporters gathered in front of an abandoned storefront in Fall River’s Flint neighborhood.
“We came back to Flint because it all kind of started here. We came here about a year and a half ago, and we cleaned this entire block, we put up some artwork, we power washed, we did all that, so we felt it was important to come back,” Silvia said.
He said the main reasons he’s running include homelessness and the overall “conditions of the neighborhoods.”
Silvia’s husband, Nathan Silvia, is also running for a seat on the city council.
Silvia will face off against fellow independent Carlos Cesar, Republican Gabriel Amaral, and Democrat Michael J. Vandal in the preliminary election on September 16th.
