Two-term Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther formally announced yesterday evening that he’s all in for round three. A campaign kickoff party held at the Ohio Brewing Company served as the official launch for his 2023 mayoral bid.
Ginther, 47, was first elected in 2015, having previously served on Columbus City Council for the eight years prior, and Columbus Board of Education for seven years before that. In 2015, Ginther ran against fellow Democrat and former Franklin County Sherriff Zach Scott, but ran unopposed in 2019 when winning his second term.
Over the past three years, Ginther’s second term has seen both challenges and opportunities. Just two months after being sworn in on January 4th, 2020, the coronavirus pandemic dramatically impacted life in Columbus. Shutdowns of businesses and events persisted throughout that year, coupled with civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd that led to multiple protests in Downtown Columbus. Newly appointed police chief Tom Quinlan resigned in January of 2021 after just 13 months on the job, and community advocates have continued to call for stronger police reform.
“Many things have changed in recent years, including the pace of our world,” stated Ginther in March during the 2022 State of the City address. “And while this is still a time of hardship and uncertainty for many, it is also a time for opportunity and optimism.”
Both low-income and middle-income housing shortages have been a continued focus for the Mayor, who oversaw the passage of a $50 million bond package for affordable housing development in 2019 and another $200 million in 2022. Ginther has focused heavily upon helping neighborhoods like Linden and Hilltop since 2015, with assistance programs and new resources like the Hilltop Early Learning Center, opening next month.
The only challenger to make a formal announcement to run against Ginther is Community advocate Joe Motil, who is currently gathering signatures to turn in to the Franklin County Board of Elections ahead of the due date in February. Motil is a lifelong registered Democrat who ran an unsuccessful bid for a Columbus City Council seat in 2019.
“Andy Ginther has failed over the last 15 years as a Columbus City Councilman and Mayor to provide the necessary vision and leadership to improve the lives and neighborhoods of families and everyday people throughout Columbus,” stated Motil in a press release issued yesterday. “He only serves the economic interest of wealthy developers, corporate Columbus and others who ‘pay to play’ in a city government that sorely lacks a true democracy but is ripe with unethical and alleged corrupt activity.
The Franklin County Republican Party was contacted yesterday afternoon to see if a challenger would be fielded by the local GOP, but Columbus Underground has received no response as of the time of publishing this article.