(www.clevelandurbannews.com) /

Hayes is now  the director of communications for Cleveland Clinic hospitals. (Editor's note: A popular Black figure in greater Cleveland circles best known for anchoring at Fox 8 News in Cleveland, Hayes hosted the event, along with her mother and other Gray supporters, in her personal and political capacities).

If Gray wins the Nov. 3 non-partisan election by unseating Mayor Georgine Welo, who is seeking re-election for a fourth term, she would become the first Black mayor of  the largely White city of South Euclid, a middle and upper middle class suburb that borders Cleveland, University Heights, and Cleveland Heights, among other municipalities of Cuyahoga Country, Ohio's largest of 88 counties.

With a a population of roughly 23,000 people, the city is 22 percent Black, and its residents have a median income of $60,000.

Hayes said at the fundraiser for Gray that the councilwoman is a people's person with a comprehensive vision for the city.

“My vision is that we provide for our community, our families, our seniors, our youth and what they need in order to survive and thrive,” said Gray.

“Ruth’s vision gives a chance for everyone’s voice to have a chance to be heard,” said Hayes, who blames the Welo administration for housing and other problems in the city.

“We are facing housing and economic concerns that are due in part to the current administration,” said Hayes.

Both Gray and Welo, who is White, and under fire relative to a law firm that does business with the city and has since employed her son,  Miles Welo, are Democrats. And they are the only two people in the race for mayor.

Gray, 53 and on city council since 2007,  is currently employed as as director of community life for the city of Bedford Heights, also a Cleveland suburb.

Gray told Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's leader in Black digital news, that the key issues of her political platform are safety, education of children, and fiscal responsibility.

She also wants accountability when it comes to fiscal spending.

Reynolds told Cleveland Urban News.Com that he agrees with Gray’s vision of South Euclid for youth activities, and her mission for more economic development.

Prior to working in Bedford Heights, Gray was president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Health Education and Service Council and executive director of the Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland.

Gray is also concerned about South Euclid housing values. She says that "you cannot talk about building a community if you are not talking about making sure that our housing values go up."

"There are leadership issues in South Euclid and some of them have been embarrassingly played out in the local media, " she said. " I will work closely with leadership to avoid these embarrassing issues in the future."

Gray said that Mayor Welo is a reckless spender of city tax dollars.

"If you can not trust your local administration and your mayor to make sure that your tax dollars are being used wisely and that you have a voice in how they are spent, then that is a problem and that is a problem that I will address and work to change," the councilwoman said, who has also been recognized for her community involvement by community activist groups.

Among a host of other commendations, Gray received community service awards from Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice, a longtime greater Cleveland women's advocacy and activist group, and the Capital University Freedom Fighter Award.

She is married to Jay Gray, and the couple has grown children, and grandchildren.