The race for Atlanta mayor has been overshadowed lately by the news of the day — including a massive fire that destroyed the I-85 bridge — but candidates haven’t stopped campaigning.

With seven months to go to election day in November, the nine serious candidates hoping to succeed Mayor Kasim Reed are walking in parades, speaking at forums and using social media to engage voters.

A new poll shows Mary Norwood with a double digit lead over her 11 mayoral opponents and some are again speculating that Atlanta could soon see a white mayor after a 44-year drought. (Erica A. Hernandez/AJC)

Experts say this early in the campaign, when the general public is focused on summer vacations, the candidates efforts are more about honing messages and raising dollars than winning votes.

But what they do now lays a strong foundation, many hope, for what voters will see when the do begin paying attention.

The AJC's Leon Stafford keeps you updated on the latest in the Atlanta mayoral race and everything else going on at City Hall. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

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