Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens launches his re-election campaign

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has officially announced his re-election campaign.

The mayor launched his campaign with other high-profile Georgia political figures in Midtown on Tuesday.

What we know:

Joining Dickens at the press conference were former state Sen. Jason Carter, attorney Sharon Gay, and others.

Dickens shared that his aspiration to become Atlanta’s mayor began when he was just 16 years old. Now, as he nears the end of his first term, he emphasized that there is still more work to do and that he is ready to keep pushing for progress.

The mayor also highlighted the support he has received from the Biden administration, recalling a moment when President Joe Biden personally called him just days after his election.

"Literally days after I was elected mayor, he called my phone and said, ‘Welcome, and I want to meet you,’" Dickens said. He added that within two weeks, he was at the White House, building relationships that have helped bring federal resources to the city.

The mayor also held a rally with voters on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Monday Night Garage:

What they're saying:

Last month, Dickens delivered his State of the City address, taking credit for steering a "fractured" city in the right direction when he took office, out of the COVID-19 pandemic and a spike in crime. 

"The state of the city is strong!" said Dickens. "I promised you safer streets. Another promise kept—since 2022, homicides in Atlanta are down 26%."

He emphasized his administration’s efforts to stave off the Buckhead City movement and move forward with the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, despite national "Stop Cop City" protests.

"We have ensured that the next generation of first responders will have a state-of-the-art training facility at our Atlanta Public Safety Training Center," Dickens said.

Dickens said two of the city's top priorities were affordable housing and infrastructure, pointing to a new plan to replace Atlanta's aging water pipes and the proposal to use AI to predict water main breaks. 

"This is a system that we inherited, but now it's our responsibility to start fixing it," he said.

What's next:

Looking ahead, Dickens reaffirmed his commitment to addressing major concerns in Atlanta, including affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, and neighborhood revitalization. 

He acknowledged that certain issues, such as ethics and homelessness, have been particularly challenging but promised they would remain a top priority in a second term.

As Atlanta continues to evolve, Dickens says he is prepared to adjust his strategies while keeping the city’s needs at the center of his leadership.

Dickens has also set his sights on Atlanta’s role as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

He said the eight matches played here will bring nearly $1 billion to the city.

Before that is November's election. No other candidate has publicly declared their candidacy yet.