Councilman's wife seeks his former seat

Joe Jones was convicted of a felony for defrauding the public.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The wife of a convicted councilman is running for his council seat and getting support from backers of the still popular politician.
"I know your husband," resident Willie Brown, 86, told Tonya Jones as she campaigned door-to-door earlier this month. "And I'm gonna vote for you."
Joe Jones resigned from city council nearly three months ago, convicted of a felony for defrauding the public.
Jones, in the eyes of many Ward 1 residents, is still golden. If they could vote for him next month, they would, but they can't because felons can't hold public office.
Even those backing Tonya Jones' opponent, Nina Turner, tend to hold their tongues when asked about Joe Jones. "Nice young fellow," Turner supporter Willie Cater said. "He just got caught up with the big boys."
Ward boss
Joe Jones was growing into a powerful ward boss in this black working-class section of the city when he was arrested last November by the FBI and accused of accepting bribes. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in August, admitting he attempted to defraud the public by hiding money.
Turner, defeated by Joe Jones four years ago, sees the former councilman as a political puppeteer working harder in this race than his wife.
She backs that claim by pointing to last month's nine-way, nonpartisan primary race in which Tonya Jones, despite being pregnant through the campaign and giving birth just three weeks before Election Day, was the top vote-getter.
"Make no mistake about it," Turner said. "I'm running against Joe Jones."
Her decision
Tonya Jones insists that it was her decision to run and that her husband is helping her no more than any spouse would.
"The fact that I'm Joe Jones' wife is an asset," she said. "But when people went to the polls, it was my name on the ballot, not Joe's."
Joe Jones declined to comment.