Mayor Kevin Johnson announced today that he is running for a second term, saying "Sacramento has come a long way, but it still has not met its potential as a city."
Speaking before a crowd at the Capitol Academy charter school in Oak Park, Johnson said he would run an aggressive campaign that will include "listening sessions" around the city and door-to-door canvassing.
So far, the only candidate lined up against Johnson is bounty hunter Leonard Padilla.
During his speech, Johnson said he had "moved this city forward" through initiatives on clean technology and tackling homelessness. He also mentioned a gang summit he organized aimed at curbing youth violence and a third grade reading initiative his office launched in city schools.
And, of course, Johnson talked about what has become the signature event of his first term: keeping the Sacramento Kings in town for at least one more year as the city works toward building a new sports arena.
"Because of all of those things and more, the last three years have been tremendous ones for me but they've also been some of the most challenging," the mayor said. "While we've accomplished a great deal, we've also had many disappointments. All of these factors weighed heavily on my mind as I considered my future, the future of this city and what would be in the best interests of Sacramento."
Johnson was scheduled to be introduced at his speech by Bishop Sherwood Carthen of Bayside Church of South Sacramento; Sacramento Supervisor Jimmy Yee; local NAACP chapter president Betty Williams; city police union president Brent Meyer; businesswoman Melinda Guzman; Mark Otero, CEO of KlickNation, a midtown firm that designs games for social networks like Facebook; and restaurateur Patrick Mulvaney.
Photo caption: Mayor Kevin Johnson announces his re-election bid at Aspire Capitol Heights Academy charter school in Oak Park on Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Bryan Patrick
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