ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens will seek reelection next year, his office confirmed Monday.
Dickens, 49, first won election in 2021 -- surging ahead in a runoff against then-City Council President Felicia Moore.
Dickens was initially seen as something of a longshot in that race -- both Moore and former Mayor Kasim Reed had more name recognition, and Moore had more than 40% of the vote in the first round.
But Dickens, who'd been a city councilmember since 2013, ran an aggressive ground campaign in the lead-up to the runoff and wound up defeating Moore with more than 60% of the vote.
He has since built his mayoral tenure on a decline in crime, youth outreach initiatives, community investment with housing as a particular focus and successfully opposing the Buckhead cityhood movement -- while also dealing with challenges that have most prominently included the large protest movement against the future Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, the closure of WellStar Atlanta Medical Center and issues such as the city's persistent homelessness crisis.
The mayor said in a statement:
"I love being the mayor of Atlanta, a job I’ve wanted since I was 16 years old. I believe we have accomplished a lot in the first two years, and I intend to work hard in the next two years and beyond. There are many things happening before I make a formal announcement, including getting President Biden and Vice President Harris reelected, continuing to reduce violent crime, and increasing access to affordable housing and jobs that pay living wages. Together, we will ensure we have a city where all are safe and everyone can thrive."
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