With Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan announcing in November that he will not seek a fourth term, the city will have a new mayor for the first time since 2003.
The deadline for candidates to file passed Feb. 6, so all the candidates are now in the race.
Three Democrats and one Republican have declared their candidacy for mayor. Here’s an introduction to the four men seeking to be in charge of Bloomington.
John ?Hamilton (D)
Hamilton was the first candidate to file for mayor of Bloomington. He previously ran against Kruzan in the 2011 primary and now is at it for a second shot.
Hamilton currently works as an adjunct professor at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a graduate of Harvard University, previously worked as the commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
“I’m running for mayor because I believe Bloomington should be a city that works for everybody,” Hamilton said in an email statement. “We have the opportunity to tackle the challenges facing Bloomington by creating more affordable housing, bringing new jobs to the city, standing up for public education and having a city government that’s open and transparent.”
Hamilton also is president of First City Enterprises, a nonprofit bank located in Washington, D.C.
John Linnemeier (D)
Linnemeier received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from IU. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and was wounded in action while in service. Linnemeier, who was previously out of the country traveling, works as a writer.
“I got into this race because no one else was saying what needed to be said or doing what needed to be done,” Linnemeier said in an email interview. “Despite egregious and criminal misuse of public funds during the previous administration, neither of the two major candidates has even addressed corruption in city government.”
Linnemeier previously owned a small business, Flying Fish Painting Company, and is the author of “How an Average Man Lived an ?Adventurous Life.”
Darryl ?Neher (D)
Neher currently represents the 5th District on the Bloomington City Council, a position he has held since 2012. In addition to his work as an elected official, Neher works at the Kelley School of Business as a senior lecturer.
“Central to my campaign to be the next mayor of Bloomington is my deep belief in creating an engaged and collaborative local government,” Neher said in an email statement. “That engagement includes the students of Indiana University and Ivy Tech.”
Neher, a graduate of DePauw University, has received endorsements from many of Bloomington’s top Democrats, including Mayor Kruzan, Indiana State Rep. Matt Pierce and Monroe County Council member and fellow Kelley lecturer Shelli Yoder.
John ?Turnbull (R)
Turnbull is the only Republican in the race and will run an uncontested primary. Turnbull has worked as the director of sports in the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department since 1996. Like Neher, Turnbull is a graduate of DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind.
“Bloomington is too good to not be better,” he said in an email statement to the Indiana Daily Student. “I want to work from good to great.”
Turnbull is the first Republican to run for mayor of Bloomington since David Sabbagh in 2007.
