Latest news with #IsaiahHugley
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fourth candidate enters 2026 Columbus mayoral election; addresses recent arrest
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — A fourth candidate has entered the 2026 Columbus mayoral election. Kia Marie Legette, 33, filed her intention to run for mayor with the local elections office Friday morning. Legette, a mother of two and business owner, says she is 'a neighbor who cares.' 'My interest to start a political career began when my experiences with politicians, religious leaders, family, and impoverished thinkers drove me to seek God's face concerning his people and my purpose.,' Legette says in a statement letter to WRBL. 'His direction led me to resign my job in December of 2019 as director of a 37-year-old vocational school and reduce my lifestyle to what my tax dollars had already invested in to focus on rebuilding broken systems.' Legette does address a 2024 domestic violence charge on her record. She claims it left a 'void of integrity' on her life, but it has since been dropped. Legette did not address a simple battery charge stemming from 2012 and a driving with a suspended license charge stemming from 2015. Kia Marie Legette is the fourth candidate to have entered the race, but not the only one to have a history. RELATED: Columbus mayoral candidate has had multiple arrests since 2018 This comes after former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley, former Russell County Sheriff's deputy and Army veteran Mark LaJoye and retired Army veteran Steven Kelly all filed intention forms. Qualifying is in March of next year. The election is slated for May 19, 2026. Right now, candidates are just filing intent to run forms that allow them to raise and spend campaign funds. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley files paperwork to run for mayor PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Second candidate files paperwork to run for Columbus mayor PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Third candidate jumps into Columbus mayor's race Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Third candidate jumps into Columbus mayor's race
COLUMBUS, Ga. () –– A third candidate has jumped into the 2026 Columbus mayor's race. Retired Army veteran Steven Kelly filed his intention to run for mayor with the local elections office. He's a 41-year-old stay-at-home dad and the father of a 2-year-old daughter. 'This is an amazing city, but there's room for improvement, everything from crime to infrastructure,' Kelly told WRBL. 'I think that there are things that need to be improved upon. Chief Stoney Mathis is doing an amazing job. I would like to work with him, and I would like to reach out to the community and actually engage with the community and get them to try to work with the police in a lot of ways.' Former city manager Isaiah Hugley was fired two months ago by city council. He was just seven months shy of his retirement date. Now, Hugley is running for mayor – and threatening a wrongful termination lawsuit against the seven city councilors who voted to fire him. Mark LaJoye retired from the military, has run for sheriff four times since 2012 – failing each time. Hugley has not spoken to the media since his May 27 termination. Mark LaJoye has also filed his intent to run for the vacant mayoral seat. Mayor Skip Henderson is term-limited after two terms. LaJoye has run unsuccessfully for sheriff four times since 2012. 'I think the fact that I'm a relative unknown does work in my favor,' Kelly said. 'I'm no different than any of the constituents and any of the members of the community. I'm just an average blue-collar working guy. But I see that there needs to be a change. I think that there's been a loss of morale, a loss of faith, and a lot of levels of the government leadership.' Qualifying is in March of next year. The election is May 19, 2026. Right now, candidates are just filing intent to run forms that allow them to raise and spend campaign funds. Other candidates are expected to enter the race. One of those is city councilor JoAnne Cogle. The District 7 councilor voted to fire Hugley. Multiple sources have told WRBL she is telling people she plans to run. Prior to Tuesday's meeting, she said she had not made a decision to seek the mayor's job. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Second candidate files paperwork to run for Columbus mayor
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — One day after the former Columbus city manager Isaiah Hugley filed his paperwork to run for mayor, a second candidate has entered the race. On Friday, Mark LaJoye filed paperwork that allows candidates to raise and spend campaign funds. Mark-LaJoye-intention-to-accept-campaign-fundsDownload LaJoye is no stranger to the citywide ballot. He ran unsuccessfully for sheriff four times, including last year's election against incumbent Sheriff Greg Countryman. RELATED: Countdown to Democracy: Race for Muscogee County Sheriff RELATED: Mark LaJoye, Muscogee Co. sheriff candidate wins appeal 'The early bird gets the worm,' LaJoye said. 'We didn't think Isaiah was going to file or run. We were expecting someone else to file. I think there will be maybe two more candidates to get into the race.' Despite four failed attempts at elected office, LaJoye said this is a different opportunity. 'This is a non-partisan race,' he said. 'What's going to stand out is the issues. Isaiah has a lot of baggage on his side.' PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley files paperwork to run for mayor Qualifying will be in early March. The election is May 19. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Clear message to the citizens of Columbus.' Isaiah Hugley files to run for mayor
Fired Columbus city manager Isaiah Hugley filed paperwork Thursday declaring his intention to accept campaign contributions to run for mayor in the 2026 election. Hugley was the first Black city manager and the longest-serving city or county manager in Columbus' history before the Columbus Council voted 7-3 to terminate him May 27. The termination followed controversies over two city employees being arrested because of the investigation into the finance department and Hugley's legal clash with some councilors after his ethics were questioned following Hugley's wife receiving American Rescue Plan grant of approximately $29,000. Councilors argued the grant should have been disclosed to the Columbus Council, while Hugley and Mayor Skip Henderson argued the grant was disclosed to the mayor and city attorney. Hugley acted on the advice of the city attorney. Hugley's lawyer, Scott Grubman, shared with the Ledger-Enquirer last week an unfiled draft of a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that Hugley's termination was the result of discrimination and retaliation. Grubman said the draft would be filed July 14 unless the city responds with a 'meaningful proposal.' The Ledger-Enquirer reported in December that Hugley planned to retire at the end of 2025. He worked 41 years for the Columbus Consolidated Government, including 20 years as city manager. Hugley told the Ledger-Enquirer on May 20, before his termination, that he was focused on finishing out his last year as city manager and that he didn't know his plans after retiring. Columbus, GA United, a coalition with a goal of unifying Black voters in Columbus to vote for a single candidate, has not made any decision about whom they will endorse in the next mayoral election, Wane Hailes, owner of the Columbus Courier Eco Latino and an organizer of Columbus, GA, United, told the Ledger-Enquirer. The group plans to find out who all the candidates will be before making a decision to support any individual, he said. The nonpartisan election for Columbus mayor will be May 19, 2026. No other candidate has filed paperwork to run in the race, according to the Muscogee County Board of Elections and Registration website, but the qualifying period isn't until March 2-6. Henderson, in his second term, isn't allowed to run for Columbus mayor again. If his bid for mayor is successful, Hugley would be the third member of his family elected to public office in Columbus, following his wife, state Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus), and his sister, Pat Hugley Green, the District 1 representative and chairwoman of the Muscogee County School Board. Hugley also would be the first elected Black mayor of Columbus. A.J. McClung was Mayor Pro Tem and served as interim mayor after Mayor JR Allen died in a plane crash in 1973. 'Please know that my Declaration of Intent filing today is intended to be a clear message to the citizens of Columbus,' Hugley wrote to the Ledger-Enquirer in a text message Thursday night. 'It's time for leadership that listens, innovates and unites. My vision is simple but bold — a Columbus that works for everyone. Now the work begins! 'A formal announcement will come later. I will make myself available to the media at that time.'
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley files paperwork to run for mayor
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — The former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hughley has formally filed papers to run in the 2026 mayoral election. WRBL News 3's Chuck Williams obtained Hugley's 'Declaration of Intention to Accept Campaign Contributions' form late Thursday afternoon. Isaiah-Hugley-intention-to-accept-campaign-contributions-PDFDownload Hugley spent more than four decades working for the City of Columbus — the last 20 years as the city manager. He had announced his intention to retire at the end of the year, but not before he was fired by city council in a late-night, closed session on May 27, 2025. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: City Council votes 7-3 to terminate City Manager Isaiah Hugley seven months before his retirement Prior to his firing, he had threatened legal action against six city councilors – Byron Hickey, Toyia Tucker, JoAnne Cogle, John Anker, Charmaine Crabb and Glenn Davis. Since April, an attorney for Hugley and an attorney for the councilors have been trading letters. No lawsuit has been filed, but Hugley's attorney has said he plans to move forward with an EEOC complaint against the city, the first step in legal proceedings. Hugley has declined multiple WRBL interview requests since his firing. The election will be held on May 19, 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
