In a surprise move, Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin announced Monday that he will run for a fifth term, reversing a decision he made just last month to step away from elected office at the end of his current term.
Colvin, the city’s longest-serving Black mayor, filed to run on Friday just before the filing deadline, but made the formal announcement during a news conference outside City Hall on Monday. His decision comes amid a crowded mayoral race that now includes 10 candidates – four of whom serve on the Fayetteville City Council.
“Particularly as many council members have filed to run for mayor, which undoubtedly will shake up the face of our city’s leadership, especially at a time when important rights and resources are being taken away from the federal level,” Colvin said. “It became clear that we needed stable, proven leadership at this time.”…