Ceasor Johnson announces re-election bid

By Alicia Petska

Published: March 20, 2008

Ward II City Councilman Ceasor Johnson officially announced his bid for re-election Thursday, saying the city needs to continue its progress on “critical issues” like school construction and balanced development.

Johnson, 42, gathered his supporters at the Parlor Ballroom, a minority-owned downtown business. He pointed to the location, which underwent a major renovation before opening, as an example of the type of redevelopment the city should pursue.

“This is what I’d like to see happen throughout the city,” he said. “Not just in downtown, but midtown, uptown and in the outskirts of town.”

Ward II includes the downtown area. Johnson, a one-term incumbent, is running for re-election against challenger David Johnston, a server/manager at Charley’s Restaurant who has called for a business-minded approach to governance.

The day before his announcement, Johnson, a Baptist minister, received the Democratic Party’s endorsement. Both he and his opponent are formally running as independents.

Johnson, 42, said the city must work to ensure it doesn’t lose momentum on projects such as improvements to Heritage High School and development of a “big box” ordinance.

He also said addressing issues of race and racism within the community needs to remain a priority.

“That’s critical,” he said. “We want to make Lynchburg a community that’s open to different races, different religions and different backgrounds.”

In his statement to the Democratic Party the night before, he said, “I represent the least of us, those who may not have grown up with a silver spoon in their mouth.”

Mayor Joan Foster and Ward I Councilman Mike Gillette were among those in attendance Thursday.

Gillette, who’s also up for re-election, said he was supporting Johnson in his campaign.

“Ceasor’s always been a stalwart ally on issues that have come to council. Whenever we needed to protect the schools and protect the citizens, Ceasor’s always been there,” he said.

Foster has declined to make endorsements in this year’s races.

The City Council election is May 6.

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