Mayor Keith Gaskin announced Wednesday he will not seek reelection next year and instead will throw his support behind a local pastor.
During his regular press conference at City Hall, Gaskin said he is endorsing Darren Leach, pastor at Genesis Church. Leach also is part of the Memphis Town Community Action Group advocating for the redevelopment of the old Kerr-McGee plant site on Northside.
“If I felt like I was the person who could continue to lead (the city) in the direction it needs to go, I would have (run again),” Gaskin said. “… I felt like I could continue to be the mayor, but the more I spent time with Darren, I was very impressed with his knowledge base and ideas. … I think it’s a sign of a good leader who is willing to step aside when they feel there is somebody who can take the mantle and move it forward.
“I believe I’ve met somebody who is the right person at the right time,” he added.
Gaskin was elected in 2021, narrowly defeating longtime mayor Robert Smith. He took a two-week break from work in late August to deal with his health, which he later attributed to exhaustion and sleep deprivation.
On Wednesday, he said he had decided not to seek a second term before the health break, so that was not a factor.
“I do not have any serious health conditions,” Gaskin said. “What happened is I hit a wall. At times in my life I have suffered from sleep deprivation, and that can be serious. I let it go on for far too long without seeking the help that I needed. … I’ve been talking to people about this decision before that.”
Leach, who attended the press conference, called Gaskin’s endorsement “a big deal.” He also credited Gaskin’s administration with doing an “amazing job” and “setting up the next guy to do a decent job.”
To date, Ward 5 Councilman Stephen Jones is the only other potential candidate to publicly announce his intent to run for mayor. Qualifying for next year’s city elections begins Jan. 2.
Gaskin’s legacy
At times choked up during Wednesday’s remarks, Gaskin touted his administration’s transparency and its work improving the city’s financial health.
Months after he was elected, the city had to defer employee raises and first-responder equipment purchases because a clerical error discovered in the proposed budget would have created a $1 million deficit. Employees have received raises in each of the three years since, and the city has banked roughly $5 million in a capital improvement fund.
Frequent chafing between Gaskin and the majority of the city council have also marked his term, starting with the mayor’s failed effort in 2021 to hire a forensic auditor to investigate the city’s financials.
For their part, several councilmen have complained that Gaskin doesn’t communicate well with them, often blindsiding them with public announcements of his initiatives.
“Columbus is a wonderful city with great potential,” Gaskin said Wednesday. “There is no higher honor than to be elected to a position by your peers in the city. I will cherish my time as mayor. I think we’ve handled some things really well. I think there are some things we could have handled better.”
Gaskin said he intends to remain involved in the city even after his term as mayor ends June 30. Regardless of who wins next year’s election, he promised to help the new mayor transition into the job.
“There was no transition policy here for me when I moved in,” he said. “There will be a transition policy for whomever is elected the next mayor. Whomever is elected will have my full support in coming into the office.”
Gaskin said he is at peace with his decision.
“Once you sit in the seat, you have a whole new perspective of what goes on in a city and what it takes to run a city,” he said. “Over time, cities need a change in leadership. … I believe in Columbus. I believe Columbus is one of the most outstanding cities in the state. We have only met a small part of our potential.”
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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