A couple weeks ago, I told you it was too soon to say who's running for Knoxville mayor in 2027.
It's definitely still too soon, but the field is starting to shape up.
People we were expecting to run jumped in, and others confirmed to me they're out.
In 351 days, voters will pick a replacement for term-limited Mayor Indya Kincannon.
Beau Hawk, the 2026 Democratic nominee for Knox County mayor, Knoxville At-large Councilmember Amelia Parker and mortgage banker Jeff Talman have announced they're running. All three were on the list of prospective candidates I gave you Aug. 17.
The race is nonpartisan, but virtually every candidate in every mayoral election has a history and a platform that signals affinity and affiliation with one of the two major parties.
And candidates often lean into courting voters from that party they favor.
More to come: There's one person who hasn't announced a run but the possibility keeps everyone talking: Former Councilmember Andrew Roberto.
Roberto sponsored the tablescapes at the Knox County Democratic Party's Truman Day dinner fundraiser Sept. 9. Part of the decor at the tables? Roberto's business cards.
"I care deeply about our city's future, and I believe the best decisions come from listening to and engaging with our community," Roberto told me in a text after I asked whether he's running. "Those conversations are ongoing. Right now, my focus is helping elect strong local and state Democrats in November. That's why I was proud to support Truman Day and our progressive candidates. The spotlight should remain there for now. There will be plenty of time to discuss the 2027 race in the weeks and months ahead."
Who's NOT running for Knoxville mayor in 2027?
For those of us using the process of elimination, it's pretty telling.
Since we published our most recent list, some potential candidates told me they're not running. They are:
- Karyn Adams: principal and creative director for the higher education marketing and public relations firm HA ThirtyOne
- Lynne Fugate: Knoxville city councilmember, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians
- Gloria Johnson: Tennessee state representative, former educator
- Gwen McKenzie: former councilmember, consultant, former Oak Street Health executive
- Grant Rosenberg: Knoxville chief operating officer, 2020 Republican nominee for Knox County Commission District 2
They join Knox County Commissioner Courtney Durrett and former Knoxville Councilmember Tommy Smith on the list of "not candidates."
It's too soon to say for sure who's running for Knoxville mayor, but ...
Between this list and my last, I've spoken with 17 people involved in city politics to see what names they're hearing.
Nobody on this list told me they aren't running for mayor, but a few people didn't return my calls. Others said they were surprised to hear people were floating their names as a potential candidate.
The list isn't exhaustive: In every election, someone jumps in and surprises everyone who thought they knew who would be on the primary ballot.
Here are the names that have come up:
Welcome to the list
- Wayne Ritchie: civil trial attorney and former Democratic state representative (from 1992-98)
Former Knoxville councilmembers
- Lauren Rider: former Pellissippi State Community College librarian
- Andrew Roberto: personal injury attorney
The business leaders
- Christi Branscom: principal, general counsel and managing broker of Partners Development, owner of Grace Construction owner; former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services Commissioner; former Knoxville deputy mayor and chief operating officer
- Cortney Piper: president, Piper Communications president; executive director of Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council.
Second time's the charm?
Prospective candidates who considered a run for city mayor in 2022 but did not end up in the race:
- Keith Lyon: former president of the Fraternal Order of Police
- George Ewart: architect at GAE Architecture, co-owner Dead End BBQ
5 things you may have missed
Here's five news highlights from the last week:
I exclusively reported Knox County Mayor Betsy Henderson asked commissioners to block their pay raises
I exclusively reported Knox County Mayor Betsy Henderson is pivoting on her request of commissioners because it went against the county charter
Afton Pratt reported U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett opposes Trump on data centers: 'I guess I'm backwards and poor'
Tyler Whetstone reported a judge ruled DA Jimmy Dunn can keep prosecuting cases even though he was indicted
Caitlyn Meisner reported Knox County Schools wants to offer early retirement incentive to all workers
Allie Feinberg is the politics reporter for Knox News. Email: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com; Reddit: u/KnoxNewsAllie
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: It's still too soon to say who's running for Knoxville mayor. But the fog is clearing
