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If the 2027 Duluth mayoral election were held today, Roger Reinert wouldn’t just win — he’d be asking whether his campaign party team should stock another dozen cases of pop before the first ballots even hit the scanner.
Landslide? Yep. Bigger than the last one. And Duluthians know it. The math hasn’t changed, and the man they put in office has done the one thing most politicians can’t manage: he’s kept his word.
But before we dive into precincts, let’s remember the laugh track from the last campaign: “Risky Roger.”
What a swing-and-miss. That was former Duluth mayor's big closing argument. Risky! Duluthians were supposed to gasp. Instead, they chuckled. Risky? The guy who promised to hold the levy flat, fix potholes, and plow the streets? Wow. What a daredevil. How did the city ever survive that radical agenda?
They didn’t just survive. They thrived. And the risky one wasn’t Roger. Today he’s running Duluth with boring competence.
The Tale of the Tape in the 2027 Duluth mayoral election (if Reinert runs for a second term):
West Duluth
Lincoln Park. Spirit Valley. Denfeld. Rogerland. Always was, always will be. Reinert put up video-game numbers there in 2023. Out west, they’re not chasing buzzwords. They want streets plowed, water mains working, taxes steady. Reinert fits the mold. He could print “Risky Roger” on his yard signs out there and still pull 65 percent.
The Fringes
Piedmont Heights, Duluth Heights, Kenwood, Proctor-adjacent. Call them the levy-watch precincts. These folks open their tax bills before their Christmas cards. Reinert said he’d hold the line on the levy. He did. That’s all they needed to hear. Voters thought it was refreshing. Those precincts are locked down again in 2027.
Downtown and Hillside
This is where Reinert has made his stand. Downtown business owners and weary residents took notice when Roger started talking storefronts, safety, and vitality. Two years in, he’s been everywhere — walking Superior Street, listening to tenants, cutting ribbons, taking questions. Not risky. Relentless.
Legacy item number one is already etched in the wet cement downtown: Reinert the Revitalizer. If he keeps chipping away, downtown goes from swing to stronghold. “Risky Roger”? No. “Reliable Roger” fits better.
East Duluth
Congdon. Lakeside. Chester Park. UMD. Progressive, socially liberal, student-heavy, faculty-driven. It’s the one corner of the map where “Risky Roger” might’ve gotten a polite nod. But here’s the kicker: Reinert doesn’t need to win the east. He just needs to cut into the margins — and he has. Young families see their taxes holding steady. Students see safer streets. Professors see someone at least paying attention to downtown. That’s enough to keep it competitive, which means the east can’t swing the city anymore.
The Map
- West? Roger in a walk.
- Fringes? Roger by double digits.
- Downtown? Tilting his way, faster every month.
- East? Margins shaved down to nothing.
That’s not just a path to victory. That’s a coronation.
And here’s the punchline: Reinert has been anything but risky. He’s been steady. Predictable. Dare we say boring. Streets are plowed. Garbage is picked up. Budgets are balanced. Taxes are held in check. He’s out in the neighborhoods, not hiding in his basement or City Hall.
That’s the kind of boring Duluthians dream about. And that’s why the “Risky Roger” gag still gets laughs today. People still shake their heads at it. They wonder how anyone thought that would stick.
Go sit in West Duluth. You’ll hear it at the Legion: “Risky Roger? Ya, the only risk is betting against him.”
Talk to a homeowner in Kenwood: “Risky Roger? My tax bill hasn’t gone up. That’s the least risky thing City Hall’s done in years.”
Walk down Superior Street: “Risky Roger? He’s the only one who showed up down here.”
The line backfired so badly it’s practically free advertising now. Voters thought it was a dad joke.
So where does this leave us? With a mayor whose legacy is already writing itself:
- Keeping the levy flat.
- Returning City Hall to basics.
- Leading the charge downtown.
- Listening to citizens, face-to-face, week after week.
Those aren’t risky moves. Those are winning moves. And Duluth knows it.
If the election were today? West Duluth would already be icing down the beverages. The Clyde would be passing the hat on the margin of victory. The Legion would have “We Are the Champions” cued up on the jukebox.
Meanwhile, in Congdon, over a $7 latte, you’d hear: “Risky Roger? The guy’s about as risky as a snowplow.”
The only thing risky in Duluth politics was the gamble that a bumper sticker could beat substance. Reinert won by 20 percentage points. And unless he forgets how to plow snow or suddenly decides levy hikes are fun, he’ll keep winning.
Risky Roger? Please. The only risk is running against him.
