Fueling speculation about his political aspirations, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said yesterday he may run for mayor of his hometown of Baltimore -- but he does not intend to announce a decision until early next year.

"I am flattered that anybody would express faith and confidence in me running for mayor, but I am not actively considering anything but the work that is before me with the NAACP," Mfume said. "I won't consider anything until my work is taken care of."

Either way, the race will be the first in almost 30 years in which an incumbent city mayor will not seek re-election. Since Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke said yesterday that he would not seek a fourth term, as many as seven other possible candidates have stepped forward.

State Del. Howard P. Rawlings, City Council President Lawrence A. Bell III, city housing commissioner Daniel P. Henson III, City Councilwoman Sheila Dixon, City Comptroller Joan M. Pratt and State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy are considering running. City school board member Carl Stokes has said he is definitely running.

Already, questions are swirling about whether Mfume'sresidency outside the city may disqualify him from the race: The city charter requires a mayoral candidate "be a resident of the city" for at least one year before the election -- a deadline for the 1999 election that passed last month.

Mfume has owned a home in Catonsville since January 1995. When asked about meeting the residency requirement, he said he recently sold a city house bequeathed to him by his aunt and is buying another piece of property in the city. He declined to speak further on the matter.

Many have urged Mfume over the past year to enter the race -- and many are optimistic about his candidacy, however uncertain.

"He's the full package," said Herbert C. Smith, political science professor from Western Maryland College. "He's a brilliant speaker with good credentials who, like Schmoke, transcends race." State Sen. Barbara A. Hoffman, a Northwest Baltimore Democrat, said, "If Mfume decides to run, he'd be the immediate front-runner."

In a brief but wide-ranging interview at the headquarters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Baltimore, the former congressman from the city said there is much work he still wants to do with the organization he has headed for nearly three years.

He said combating affirmative action roll-backs, organizing the NAACP Image Awards and processing the results of about 1,700 branch elections held last month were on his agenda.

"The work I'm doing to create a better atmosphere for all Americans is more important than me posturing about whether or not to run" for mayor, he said. "There's a lot for me to do and I owe it to this association to stay focused. I believe in completing jobs."

He said he will weigh his options after the civil rights organization's annual board meeting in February -- adding that one option may be to lend his support to another person for mayor.

But, in what sounded like a rough draft of a campaign platform, Mfume also shared a plethora of ideas for Baltimore's next leader. "Baltimore needs a cheerleader -- we need someone who is a visionary, someone energetic to lead the city, to put belief back into the community and hope into the hearts of residents."

He pointed to economic development, housing and crime as key areas for the next mayor. If Baltimore doesn't deal with its racial divide, he said, "we're at risk of being in the second tier of cities."

Also, he said, education must be a high priority.

"The school system needs immediate attention. There's no way of playing around with education. If you don't have a number one school system, it's very difficult to hold onto citizens."

He continued, "I take 80 or 90 trips a year and I know cities like the back of my hand. I know what works and what doesn't. And I know intuitively in my heart of hearts that this city is too important not to have visionary leadership."

He added that he has long supported Schmoke and considers him "a good person." He was not, however, surprised that Schmoke decided not to run. "The mayor, to his credit, did not talk about the burdens of that office, but after 12 years it's OK to see what life is like on the outside. We ought to thank him."

Just what happens to the NAACP if Mfume leaves is a big question. The nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization was mired in debt and scandal when Mfume took the helm in February 1996. Now, it is financially solvent, with growing membership and increased morale.

Told about Mfume's political considerations, Leroy Warren, an NAACP national board member from Silver Spring, said, "Holy smoke! This is like a cold dash of water in your face. I thought he was happy. I expected him, not now, but maybe two or three years down the road, to move on."

Stressing that the backbone of the organization is its branch offices, Warren said he does not expect that the loss of Mfume would fatally wound the NAACP.

Mfume, who said he was surprised to see his picture alongside an article about the mayoral race on the front page of yesterday's Sun, has not consulted NAACP officials on the issue -- yet. "I've got to make some calls to Julian [Bond, NAACP board chairman] and other people before they call me," he said yesterday.

Though Mfume's name seems to top the list of possible Schmoke successors, talk among citizens and city officials about other candidates is rampant.

U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, who succeeded Mfume as the 7th District congressional representative, said he would not run but would be involved in the election.

Henson issued a statement yesterday saying that he would take time off next month to consult with family and friends about running and decide next spring, after the state's legislative session.

Pratt said yesterday she will make a decision within three months but has already started to raise funds for a campaign. Rawlings has said he will make a decision in early January.

Saying supporters have urged him to run, Bell said he plans to announce his decision after Monday's council meeting, the last before the holiday break. He added that his decision will not be affected by who the other candidates are -- including Mfume, his cousin.

"What I will do will not be based on what anybody else is doing," Bell said.

But several city officials said that before he decided to run, Mfume would have to reach an understanding about the race with Bell. Mfume would want Bell to feel comfortable with postponing his own ambitions, they said.

"I don't rule anything out and I don't rule anything in," Mfume said. "After 17 or 18 years in office, I don't do that. It's just a lesson you learn."

He added, "People are seemingly accepting anew that politics is an option for me. Politics has always been an option -- but it's my option, not anyone else's."

Pub Date: 12/04/98