GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro City Councilman Justin Outling announced he will run for mayor in the 2021 election.
Outling said his past five years on City Council and record of public service demonstrate his ability to successfully tackle the challenges facing the city.
“Greensboro should be the envy of our peer cities across the state, yet unfortunately, Greensboro isn’t achieving its potential,” Outling said.
Outling wants to focus on attracting and retaining more and better paying jobs, expand opportunity, and provide public safety for all.
“Other cities have outpaced us in the critical areas of jobs and crime, leaving us overlooked, falling behind, with fewer opportunities, and less safe,” Outling said.
Outling is a graduate of UNC-G and Duke Law School. He said his achievements on City Council show the leadership he’ll bring to the mayor’s office.
“The challenges we face require a willingness to deeply understand issues and how they affect our community, and the diligence to craft practical solutions that balance the needs of stakeholders with an overall vision for our City. That’s the approach I’ve taken as a Councilman, and I’ll bring that same approach of strong leadership for real progress to leading our City as Mayor.”
Outling said he’s being endorsed by Shirley and Henry Frye, the first African-American Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, as well as former Greensboro Mayor Jim Melvin.
Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan was elected in 2013. She won a new term in the general election on Nov. 7, 2017. She as a member of the Greensboro City Council representing District 4 from 1997 to 2001 and serving at-large from 2009 to 2013.