Brandon Johnson announces bid for second term on Wichita City Council

Wichita Vice Mayor Brandon Johnson will seek another four-year term as the district one council member.

The 35-year-old made the announcement on Saturday at Jenny Dawn Cellars to a group of 45 people that included elected officials, mentees and supporters. Johnson, who is married with three children, first started to serve Wichita as a community activist, which he said stemmed from when he was 19 and arrested for objecting to officers’ abuse of a young man after a Riverfest contest.

Police reform was one of the accomplishments touted Saturday from his time on the Wichita City Council. The changes included a ban on chokeholds and knee-holds on handcuffed suspects and came in the wake of national outcry to defund police following the death of George Floyd.

Johnson, who Gov. Laura Kelly appointed to chair the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, also mentioned other accomplishments, including: getting Commerce Bank to donate its shuttered location on 21st to nonprofits, helping reopen the pool at McAdams Park this month and repurposing dollars to serve as seed money for small businesses.

“I’m asking again four years later for your ... vote later this year but your support now to keep this momentum going,” he said. “To keep advancing opportunity in the heart of the city.”

Johnson’s campaign was taking donations and signing up campaign volunteers at the event. Johnson is so far running unopposed. Johnson won the 2017 election with 65% of the votes.

Johnson said he is open to running for other elected positions in the future if it’s what the community wants.

This story was originally published May 1, 2021 at 6:27 PM.