City Council filing closed: Newman not running, Thomasson joins race

Posted on by David Forbes

Nine candidates, including two incumbents, will vie for three seats on Asheville City Council this year, as the filing period ended today at noon. Vice Mayor Brownie Newman will not run for re-election, and LGBT activist TJ Thomasson joined the race, filing earlier today.

With filing closed, the candidates are: Council members Jan Davis and Bill Russell; Greenway Commission Chair Marc Hunt, libertarian activist Tim Peck, Haw Creek Community Association President Chris Pelly, engineer (and active Republican) Mark Cates, community activist Lael Gray, retired schoolteacher (and former Boone Town Council member) Saul Chase, and Thomasson.

Thomasson, who announced his candidacy after filing today, declared in a statement that he “isn’t just a gay candidate for a city known for its progressive and LGBT-friendly atmosphere. He is a candidate for all of Asheville and supports a city that is healthier, greener and most of all, happier in this great paradise in the mountains.”

An avid runner, he also asserted that his run for office would take on a literal dimension, saying that he “will actually be running each and every street of Asheville, beginning today through Election Day.”

With filing closed, it is clear Newman, on Council since 2003, will not run for re-election. In a statement on the Scrutiny Hooligans political blog, Newman declared he wanted to focus on his work with FLS Energy, where he is vice president.

“I want to thank all of my friends and supporters in Asheville for the opportunity to serve on Asheville City Council for the past seven and a half years,” Newman states. “I continue to see local government as a place where people can make a real difference in their community. I look forward to working with my colleagues on Council for the remainder of 2011 and congratulate the Council members who have chosen to run for re-election, as well as the other citizens who will stand for election this fall.”

Newman adds that he is proud of Asheville’s commitment to energy independence and “has been both progressive and fiscally responsible.”

The Oct. 11 primary will narrow the race down to six candidates. The top three vote-getters in the Nov. 8 general election will move on to Council.

— David Forbes, senior news reporter

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

4 thoughts on “City Council filing closed: Newman not running, Thomasson joins race”

  1. Jake

    Chris Pelly, Lael Gray and Marc Hunt appear to be the class of the field. I appreciate Jan’s service, but it’s time to find someone new.

  4. Jake

    I don’t follow, indy499. Would it help if I used “seem” or “look like” instead?

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.