Sources: Yoon To Join Flaherty "Ticket"

According to sources inside the campaign, mayoral candidate Michael Flaherty will hold a press conference with Sam Yoon tomorrow morning, at which they will announce the formation of a Flaherty/Yoon "ticket."

This is far more than an endorsement. I don't know all the details, but Yoon will be campaigning as Flaherty's "running mate," and would be appointed deputy mayor if Flaherty wins the November election.

There will likely be "Flaherty/Yoon" campaign signage, if not tomorrow, then soon, according to sources. An email announcement will be going out to Flaherty supporters later tonight.

I just wrote in last week's Phoenix that Flaherty desperately needs Yoon's help:

Flaherty can't cobble together a majority of the vote without the so-called New Boston coalition of young progressives, immigrants, recent transplants to the city, and minorities. He might be able to win some of them over by himself — he has been courting them for quite a while — but cannot afford to devote the precious hours and resources to do it one voter at a time. As it stands, Flaherty's prospects don't look good.

Those prospects certainly improve with the formation of a Flaherty/Yoon ticket. It's also very possible that the image of the two young city councilors (Flaherty is 40, Yoon is 39) criss-crossing the city could have a Clinton/Gore '92 effect, of convincing the public to go with the new energy.

At the least, it should draw attention back to the mayoral race. The press conference will be on City Hall Plaza, at around 10:15am.