A sure thing for Schor? Incumbent has big edge in mayoral contest

Lansing Mayor Andy Schor is for sure running for a third term, but the question remains who will run against him.

It’s not going to be Councilmember Peter Spadafore, who is not seeking a third term after being the top vote-getter in his previous two runs for office.

It’s not going to be 2nd Ward Councilmember Jeremy Garza, who is going for an at-large seat, now that his family is looking for a bigger house and may want to move.

Councilmember Adam Hussain remains a rumored possibility, but he did not return a call requesting comment.

Councilmember Jeffrey Brown is more than a rumored possibility: He has a web address “jeffreybrownforlansingmayor.com” parked on GoDaddy. He also didn’t return a call. If he does run for mayor, he will have to relinquish his Council seat. That would mean both at-large seats will be on the primary ballot in August, setting up a November showdown among the top four vote-getters.

Whatever he runs for, Brown has a target on his back. He angered the unions, the Lansing chamber, Schor and Ron Boji, whose company was counting on selling the old Masonic Temple to the city for a new city hall. Brown supposedly promised to support its purchase, but instead he led a revolt against the plan, which sank it, 4-4.

Whatever Brown’s plan, it’s late in the game for any opponent to start fundraising against Schor.

Schor won reelection in 2021 with 64% of the vote after an, at times, tumultuous 2020, and isn’t seen as particularly vulnerable this go-around after some major development news in his second term.

The long-discussed City Hall construction project is happening, with the current city hall being slated to become a mid-century modern hotel/restaurant. There’s the big Gentilozzi housing project that’s going to remake the Lansing skyline. There’s $1 million that’s coming to help make the six-restaurant-option Macotta Club in the old Knapp’s Building happen.

In politics, anyone can always get beat, but Schor is looking strong at this point.

Over at the clerk’s office, Chris Swope is looking to run for a sixth four-year term. Swope, who turns 58 this year, is a westsider who is involved in his husband’s business at Bradly’s Home and Garden in Old Town.

Swope wasn’t challenged in 2021, 2013 or 2009. His opponent in 2017, Jerimic Clayborn III, got 15% of the vote.

The big news this week is coming out of the 2nd Ward, where Jeremy Garza is running for an at-large seat in his bid for a third term. He said his family have outgrown its house on the southeast side and they are keeping their options open on where in the city of Lansing they expect to move.

“Because of my love for Lansing — All of Lansing — I have decided to run for Lansing City Council At-Large in this year’s election, so I can continue giving back to the city I love,” said Garza, who turns 49 this year. “I want to amplify the voices of everyday people throughout our city, from the Northside to the Southside, the Westside to the Eastside, and all points between.

“No matter where folks live in our city, they deserve to have their voice heard at City Hall.”

Former city Councilwoman Ellen Beal in 1995 is the most recent example of a candidate going from a ward seat to an at-large seat.

There must be at least three candidates for mayor, clerk or the two ward-based City Council seats in order for there to be a primary. That doesn’t apply at the moment. However, the filing deadline is more than two months off. Races that bypass the Aug. 5 primary will be on the November general election ballot.

However, it appears there will be a primary for the at-large seats now that Spadafore is out and Brown could have his sights set on something bigger.

Garza and four other candidates have filed for the at-large seats, with a fifth, Julie Vandenboom, having pulled petitions and having officially announced.

Other candidates filing to seek one of two at-large seats are:

— Olivia Vaden, who turns 29 this year. They live in the north part of Churchill Downs. Most recently, they were the research and policy director for the Michigan Growth Office. Prior to that, Vaden was researcher for Flint Councilwoman Tonya Burns.

Vaden is a queer Black woman and a first-generation college graduate. They are the executive board president of the Southwest Action Group.

— Jonah Stone, who turns 31 this year, lives near REO Town south of Interstate 496. For close to four years, he’s been a forensic scientist for the Michigan State Police. He’s also been a medical technologist and laboratory assistant

He’s running on an agenda of affordable housing, more homeless shelters/warming centers, more rapid transit and public art on the River Trail and other public spaces.

— Nick Pigeon, who turns 29 this year, lives on the east side. Most recently, he was the executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. He studied public policy at Michigan State. Originally from Macomb County, Pigeon has been a field director for a Detroit City Council candidate and several other campaigns.

He’s an advocate for the disclosure of money in politics, government transparency and community revitalization.

 — Tristan Walters, who turns 26 this year, lives over by Hunter Park on the east side. He’s a projects coordinator with the Michigan State Police. He was a technician for the Department of Health and Human Services.

He was appointed to the Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Board and sits as at-large member of the Lansing Parks Board. Walters moved to Lansing from Lapeer in 2019 when he transferred to Michigan State University to finish his bachelor’s in geography.

— Julie Vandenboom, who turns 51 this year, lives on the east side after having spent a decade in the Turner Dodge neighborhood. She’s been a resident since 2000. Her son graduated from Lansing Eastern High School in 2019.

She’s worked for the state as a policy analyst and specialist for more than 15 years. She missed an elected spot on the Lansing City Charter Commission by 18 votes last May, finishing 10th out of 36 candidates.

No one has filed to run in 2nd Ward, yet, but the Garza announcement is pretty fresh, so there’s time.

Over in the Fourth Ward, Brian Jackson, is checking out physically from City Council after arguably doing so mentally for years.

Only one candidate has filed for the seat: Heath Lowry, 33 this year, the president of the Westside Neighborhood Association and former executive officer of the Ingham County Democratic Party. Professionally, he is a staff attorney and policy specialist for the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Lowry serves on the Board of Zoning Appeals and once worked as the legislative director for a former state legislator. He ran unsuccessfully for the Lansing City Charter Commission in 2024, finishing 18th out of 36 candidates.