Stanley | Photo via campaign
Amarillo City Councilman Place 1 Cole Stanley is expected to make an announcement on the morning of Tuesday, February 14th, at 10:00 am at the Big Texas Steak Ranch. A press release from Stanley’s campaign, titled “Special 2023 Campaign Announcement,” did not specify what he plans to announce, though it is likely he will be announcing his intention to run for Mayor of Amarillo.
Stanley was first elected to City Council in May of 2021 in the only open race on the city ballot that year. Since being elected, Stanley has earned a reputation for being the most fiscally conservative member of the council, often placing him at odds with Mayor Ginger Nelson.
Stanley is the only member of the council who has not yet made a formal announcement regarding the upcoming May 6th city election. Mayor Nelson, Councilman Eddy Sauer, and Councilman Howard smith have all announced they will not be seeking reelection, while Councilwoman Freda Powell announced her candidacy for Mayor last month.
Stanley had previously backed Alex Fairly for mayor, though the businessman has since announced he will not run. Fairly has instead turned the tables, calling on Stanley to run.
If Stanley does run, he will join a field including Councilwoman Freda Powell, truck drivers Tonya “Lady Butterscotch” Winston and Sam Burnett, and former teachers Jeffrey McGunegle and Don Collins. Meanwhile, the race for Place 1 has already become the most crowded on the ballot, with applications from chaplain Margie Gonzales, retired businessman Ray White, claims analyst Kelsey Richardson, firefighter Josh Craft, and Amazon worker Sherie Wood. Both races are nearing records for number of candidates.
The deadline to file for a place on the May 6th ballot is February 17th at 5:00 pm. Be sure to regularly check AmarilloPioneer.com for campaign updates.