It’s not even the middle of January and the 2021 City Council race is already heating up.
At the Guilford County Republican Party executive committee meeting Monday, Jan. 11, former District 5 City Councilmember Tony Wilkins announced he would be running for City Council this year.
In April 2019, Wilkins announced that he would be running for mayor in 2021. However, this week Wilkins said, “I’m leaning toward at large or district, but I am going to run.”
Wilkins said there were still a lot of variables to consider and noted that he still had plenty of time to make a decision.
On Dec. 17, District 3 City Councilmember Justin Outling announced he was running for mayor. Although she hasn’t officially announced yet, Mayor Nancy Vaughan is expected to run for reelection. Vaughan has been mayor since 2013 when she defeated the incumbent Mayor Robbie Perkins. In 2015, Vaughan won reelection to a two-year term and in 2017 won reelection to a four-year term.
It is also a poorly kept secret that at large City Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter is considering running for mayor.
Wilkins served on the City Council from 2012 to 2017, when he was defeated by the current District 5 councilmember, Tammi Thurm. Wilkins was originally appointed to fill the seat vacated by Trudy Wade when she was elected to the state Senate in 2012. Wilkins then won election to a two-year term in 2013 and reelection in 2015. Starting in 2017, the City Council terms were changed to four years.
There are currently a number of familiar names floating around of people considering a run for City Council. Former District 3 City Councilmember and the President of Downtown Greensboro Inc. Zack Matheny is giving serious consideration to running for his old seat.
Former At-large City Councilmember Mike Barber, who lost a close race for reelection in 2017, is also considering running in 2021.
Robbie Perkins, who is a former mayor, former at-large city councilmember and former District 3 city councilmember could also be on the ballot.
There’s a lot of time before the October City Council primary, but it appears that there will be no lack of choices on the ballot.
Matheny and Perkins are egotistical and full of themselves. Surely District 3 can do better. Barber has been in and out so many times, even moving overseas, who knows what his agenda is.
There must be a change in Goverment. 2021 Gop take back the House. mayor in GREENSBORO IS NOT FIT TO LEAD…. Democrats must be voted out in the next two years,.,,, crooks. American people are sick and tired stolen elections.. 2021 republicans to Lead… Kate C . Barnes..
Im running. I actually care about Greensboro.
Any one of those mentioned is better than the current Council. While I can’t vote for all of them to be defeated, I’d love to see Kennedy and Hightower get the boot. And please!!!! Isn’t it time for Yvonne Johnson to retire? Has anyone investigated how she’s able to get funding for her projects (e.g., community programs) and her income from them, other than payments for being on the Council?
Joe,
I have and the city has zero accounting information or audits from One Step Further regarding the Gate City Coalition (cure the violence.)
Isn’t it a strange occurrence that Yvonne could get money allocated for her pet project!!! What if everyone on city council had a pet project,do you suppose they all could get a large sum of money.Who is asking tough questions about anyone else getting hard earned tax money to be wasted.Who holds these people accountable??!
Hooray ‘Tony is back’,where are some more Republicans who need to run for city council.Get them out and prepare them for the city council.
Yea …Tony . Get em straight up there buddy, they need some LEADERSHIP . They couldn’t run a lawn mower properly .