It was freezing outside but Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was lukewarm - at best - when asked how supportive he would be of fellow Democrat Jason Carter's run for governor.
"I definitely have said I think he's special and he definitely has an opportunity to win," Reed said during a media availability after his second-term inauguration. "But I'm not a bandwagon jumper. When you offer yourself to office, you've got to get out here, you gotta go through it. That's what I did."
Reed has been only mildly enthusiastic of Carter's run against Republican Gov. Nathan Deal, who is a friend and political ally. He's also one of the state's most prominent Democrats and - despite his vow to focus on a second term - Reed is often rumored to be considering a gubernatorial bid in 2018. He also made waves when he suggested in May - long before Carter entered the race - that Democrats focus on the open Senate seat rather than challenging Deal.
Here's what Reed had to say on the topic on Monday:
"The bottom line is I'm going to support the Democratic nominee but I'm going to do it on my own time. I've run for mayor twice and Jason didn't support me. So I'm going to support the nominee of the party. I like Jason and I've said multiple times and in many forms that I think he's a special politician with unique qualities."
Reed said only former Mayor Andrew Young jumped on his "bandwagon" when he started running for his first term. Left unsaid was that Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, has been eagerly embraced by the party's establishment without the same fight.
"I'm a little taken aback by the notion that somebody offers themselves for office and you line up," Reed said. "You get out there and earn it and fight for it and then you come up and line up behind the nominee."
The mayor's most telling response came when the questioner asked if Carter had earned the mayor's endorsement yet.
"I"m saying I think he needs to be out here a little longer."
Carter, in a statement, congratulated Reed on his second inauguration and praised his "tremendous" tenure as Atlanta's mayor.
"I look forward to having his support as the Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia, and to continuing to work with him to move our state forward."
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