The most recent episode of Riverdale came with a significant status change for the town. Mayor Serena McCoy announced that she would be leaving office, surprising everyone with the news that she would be returning to her law practice and vacating the town’s top office.
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While Serena (Robin Givens) didn’t exactly leave the office willingly — Veronica (Camila Mendes) tipped the mayor off that her parents were about to expose her affair with Sheriff Keller as a way of discrediting her — it does set the town up to elect a new mayor, something that could have complicated outcomes given all of the drama that Riverdale has been experiencing with the Black Hood, the South Side Serpents, and whatever it is the Lodges are up to.
So, who might the next mayor of good old Riverdale end up being? The town has quite a few residents who might decide to make a run for the office so we’re rounding up who we think might throw their hat in the ring and consider what might go well for them or reasons why they might not be elected to the town’s leadership.
Alice Cooper
Betty’s mom has long been outspoken about the city of Riverdale. As reporter and owner of the local newspaper, Alice has her finger on the pulse of the town and isn’t shy about her opinions. On some level, Alice Cooper almost makes an ideal candidate but despite her community involvement and passion, there are some significant reasons Alice probably shouldn’t even attempt a run. First, there’s the whole bit about her past in which she was not only a South Side Serpent and ostensibly still is, but there’s the whole “she just hid a dead body and may have been involved in a murder” situation. Alice might want to sit this out.
Hal Cooper
Like Alice, Hal Cooper also has a deep investment in Riverdale and also is involved with the town newspaper. Unlike Alice, Hal seems to be a more upstanding citizen and may have fewer skeletons in his closet giving him a bit of an edge. But he’s not exactly completely clean. As we saw in the most recent episode, Hal is hooking up with Penelope Blossom a situation that could be scandalous as Penelope is now self-employed as a sex worker, turning Thistle House into what her daughter Cheryl refers to as a brothel.
Sheriff Keller
Sheriff Keller running for mayor almost seems like a no-brainer. He’s well-respected, he’s the sheriff, and he did just rid the town of the Black Hood. His popularity is probably at an all-time high and it doesn’t seem like her has any real enemies. However, the same reason Serena McCoy is leaving office is exactly the reason the good sheriff probably shouldn’t run. His affair would be a serious scandal, one that his candidacy might not survive.
Principal Weatherbee
Another trusted member of the Riverdale community, Principal Weatherbee might be a solid choice to run for mayor. Who better to run the town than the man they entrust with the safety and education of their children? But Weatherbee may run into some popularity issues as a result of the recent merger of South Side High with Riverdale High. While the principal isn’t directly responsible for it — blame that on Mayor McCoy — parents might not think that critically, something that could hurt his potential campaign.
Fred Andrews
One advantage that Fred Andrews would have as a mayoral candidate is that not only is he the high-profile survivor of the Black Hood, he is also Riverdale’s everyman. A hard-working single father who also owns his own business, Fred might just be an almost perfect candidate should the town of Riverdale want to get back to basics and choose someone who embodies the values of family and hard work. Of course, Fred isn’t likely to run for office. He’s not really the political type, but if he were, his association with the Lodges could be a problem for him. Probably won’t see Mayor Andrews anytime soon.
Penny Peabody
This one might be a bit of an outside choice, but Penny Peabody might decide that running for mayor of Riverdale would be a better way of antagonizing FP Jones now that Tall Boy has been booted from the Serpents. Also, Penny is a lawyer with some very shady business ties that might give her a leg up if Riverdale’s political scene is as dark and twisty as the rest of the city’s dealings. However, Penny doesn’t really seem the political type and her shady business dealings as well as Serpent history could be an issue as well.
Hiram Lodge
Yes, Hiram Lodge has a criminal record and a bad reputation. The people of Riverdale don’t exactly trust him, but his wealth and power might just be enough for him to strong arm his way into mayoral office, giving him almost a blank check to do whatever he wants with the city. There is some precedent to Hiram running for Riverdale’s mayor in comics, too. In Archie #8 in 2015, Hiram runs for mayor of the town, though his ultimately defeated with his opponent winning 92 percent of the vote.
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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