Former Columbus City Manager Hugley Files Intent to Run for Mayor in 2026

Former City Manager Isaiah Hugley filed paperwork Thursday, July 10, 2025, signaling his intent, as he explores his options, to entering the May 2026 mayoral race in Columbus.

Hugley, who led the city for nearly two decades before his abrupt dismissal by a 7–3 vote of the Columbus City Council in late May, submitted the requisite notices with the Elections and Registration Office, triggering the start of qualifying for the municipal election.

Hugley was terminated effective May 27, 2025, after council members cited “a pattern of sustained dysfunction and operational breakdown” in departments under his oversight — including animal control and finance — that drew criminal investigations He will continue to receive his salary and benefits through Dec. 31, 2025.

Mayor Skip Henderson is term‑limited and ineligible for re‑election. With Hugley’s organizational efforts now underway, the field of potential contenders is likely to take shape in the coming months.