Jim Strickland
The Memphis mayor was elected in a multi-candidate 2015 city election race, upsetting previous Mayor A C Wharton, and faces a reelection effort in city elections in 2019. Strickland served two terms on the city council as a member from a mid-city district from 2007 to 2016. Focused on budgetary discipline during his council service and serving as budget chairman several times, he campaigned during the mayoral race on triple themes of public safety, blight eradication, and governmental accountability. His slogan, is “Brilliant with the Basics.” Strickland launched the Memphis 3.0 initiative of public meetings in 2017 to help prepare a new strategic plan for the city. With legal advisers, he devised a successful strategy for removing two statues of Confederate leaders from prominent locations downtown. He is a former chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party and longtime former law partner of David Kustoff, now a Republican member of Congress from the 8th District.
