Vowing to make the Qcity a better place, Anthony Foxx today officially entered the mayor’s race.
Joined by a massive crowd at the Board of Elections office, he signed the required paperwork and spoke briefly to supporters.
“I want Charlotte to be a better place than it’s ever been,” he said. “Charlotte needs a mayor that brings personal humility, with great ambitions for our community, a mayor who sees that an even better city is even possible.”
Foxx, a Democrat serving his second term on Charlotte City Council, is seeking to become the second African American to lead the city. His likely opponent will be Republican City Council member John Lassiter, now in his third term.
Foxx said that even in the midst of economic challenges, he remains optimistic about Charlotte’s future.
“Through almost three decades of prosperity and growth, many, including some city leaders, forgot that our success has always been the product of relentless hard work, relentless innovation and relentless collaboration,” he said “No more. The era of complacency is over.”
Foxx was first elected to council in 2005. Since then, he said, he has put more than $300 million into city infrastructure, helped to get roads rebuilt and has expanded after-school programs and youth-employment programs.
“We’ve made progress,” he said, “but we have farther to go.”
Foxx predicted a tough fight. He announced earlier this week that his campaign had raised more than $250,000.
“I’m running against 20 years of leadership that has ridden the wave while leaving us with backlogs of challenges that threaten our future,” he said. “I never have, nor will I ever, gloss over our challenges.”
With two days remaining before the filing deadline, no other Democrat has stepped forward to challenge Foxx for the party’s nomination. Lassiter, meanwhile, will face fellow Republican Martin Davis in the GOP primary.
