A former city commissioner filed paperwork Friday with the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections to run for mayor, making him the seventh candidate in the race.
Ed Braddy, 40, now joins Scherwin Henry, Peter Lars Johnson, Donald Shepherd Sr., Mark Venzke, Edward Young and incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe in the race for the mayor position this spring. Ramon Trujillo, a former candidate, withdrew from the race in June.
Braddy served as a city commissioner for District 2, which consists of northwest Gainesville, from 2002 to 2008. He said he worked with other commissioners to reallocate existing revenue toward road maintenance and to improve the equipment and response times for the city’s police and fire departments.
He is the director of the American Dream Coalition, a group that pushes for individual freedom, property rights and less congested roads.
Braddy also co-hosts “Talk of the Town,” a radio show on The Star 99.5 that discusses local issues. He will step down Jan. 17 because federal law requires radio stations to provide equal time for candidates within 60 days of an election.
For his mayoral campaign, Braddy said he wants to deliver affordable services, reduce resident utility bills and improve transportation to reduce traffic congestion in the city.
“I believe my platform is responsive to the needs of the people and reflective of what most people want, rather than the elite vision of the political establishment,” he said.
