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Birmingham's youngest mayor in over 120 years officially announced his re-election campaign last month and has already amassed over one million in donations.
Earlier this week, Mayor Randall Woodfin's campaign announced an intake of $1,003,783 with $1,000,756 in cash on hand for the 2021 election season. The figures represent a record for funds raised in a Birmingham mayoral election. Over 2,000 contributors have already supported the incumbent mayor, marking another record for the city.
“We are humbled and grateful that so far more than 2,000 people have supported our campaign financially,” Mayor Woodfin said in a statement. “This is a sign that people are seeing the results of our efforts to change the culture at City Hall to put people first and to invest in all 99 neighborhoods. While there is still much work to be done, people recognize that progress is taking place even in the face of challenges the likes of which our city has never seen before.”
Woodfin's campaign coffers received a boost via a recent endorsement from a D.C.-based political action committee that supports Black candidates. The Collective PAC, whose mission is to "build Black political power," lauded Woodfin's crime reduction and job retention efforts in Birmingham, calling him a "staunch, progressive" leader. The PAC also supported Woodfin's 2017 mayoral campaign.
“Mayor Randall Woodfin has put the people of Birmingham first during his first term as mayor by creating the Office of Social Justice and Racial Equity, reducing violent crime by more than 20 percent, and protecting more than 2,500 jobs in Birmingham during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the organization in a press release.
Closer to home, Woodfin received campaign contributions and support from fellow elected officials. Both Alabama State Representative Rolanda Hollis (D-Birmingham) and Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson spoke positively about progress in Birmingham under Mayor Woodfin's leadership.
“Mayor Woodfin has put in the time to build relationships and partnerships with our other elected officials,” said Representative Hollis. “For the first time in my experience, we are all working together in the same direction. That has resulted in job growth, increased funding for our schools, the removal of blight across our city, record investment in new facilities and new jobs, and so much more. The sky is the limit of what we can do over the next four years with Mayor Woodfin at the helm.”
Commissioner Tyson was equally optimistic about the prospect of another Woodfin term.
“I am proud to have worked arm in arm with Mayor Woodfin on the City Council and now on the County Commission,” said Tyson. “The progress that has been made has been remarkable. We still have challenges ahead of us, but with the leadership of Randall Woodfin, our city is well on its way. Everywhere I go people are excited about the future of Birmingham.”
So far, only two other candidates have officially declared entrance into the Birmingham mayoral race. Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales and former Birmingham city contractor Chris Woods have also made recent campaign announcements. Unofficially, former Birmingham mayor William Bell has signaled his intent to run against Woodfin. Bell has already filed paperwork with the Alabama Secretary of State and the Jefferson County Probate Office. He is expected to make an official announcement on February 26.