Mayor's race starts to heat up

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In just three months Austin will choose a new mayor. So far, the contenders are: Josiah Ingalls, Lee Leffingwell, Brewster McCracken, Jason Morales and Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

Two of those candidates, Leffingwell and McCracken currently sit on the Austin City Council and officially kicked off their campaigns on Saturday.

Councilman Leffingwell said Saturday afternoon in a kick off party at his newly opened downtown headquarters that his supporters are just getting organized. He also said he is pleased with the endorsements from both the Austin Police Association and the Austin Firefighters Association.

"I'm going to be putting a lot of emphasis on things like jobs, traffic, public safety, social services and environmental protection," said Leffingwell. "And, I'm also going to be talking a lot about how to make our city government more open and more accountable."

Also on Saturday, Mayor ProTem Brewster McCracken introduced Temo Figueroa, the national field director of Obama's presidential campaign at a public open house at his North Austin headquarters. Figueroa will now head up McCracken's campaign.

"We need to major job training," said McCracken on Saturday. "We need to have clean energy. We need to be stronger and better off than we were before."

Carole Keeton Strayhorn is also on the ballot. Strayhorn is the former state comptroller and served as Austin's first woman mayor from 1977 to 1983.

She rallied her supporters last month, saying the city has to be more fiscally responsible.

Two lesser-known candidates, Josiah Ingalls and Jason Morales, have also filed paperwork to run for mayor.

Morales is a former CEO of three financial institutions. He is the youngest candidate at 27.

"I know Austin needs a professional, someone who has been in the trenches, someone who has dealt with finances, someone who has dealt with a budget." said Morales. "The city needs someone who knows how to tackle these issues and do it efficiently. I know Austin needs that. I know Austin needs a CEO, so I'm stepping up."

Ingalls, 28, works at a local hotel and with several non-profits. He says he is running because the local government neglects those who need the most help..

"First and foremost, our educational system has been severely neglected," said Ingalls. "Second of all, our homeless population is a problem, but I don't' think we should tackle the homeless problem. We should tackle the problems that cause homelessness."

Michael Levy, Former Texas Monthly Publisher, may also jump in the race, but has not filed the paperwork yet. The election is May 9th.

 

 

 

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