AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Jordan Langdon’s recent political experience includes serving as president of his high school marching band. Now the 19-year-old college student has joined the race to become the next mayor of Auburn.
The Auburn University sophomore said his inspiration to run in the August election came from incumbent Mayor Bill Ham, who is stepping aside after five terms in office.
“One thing Mayor Ham wanted was the young people to step up in the community,” Langdon told the Opelika-Auburn News . “So I thought what a better way to step up than to run for mayor and help serve the people of Auburn?”
A native of Phenix City, Langdon graduated from high school in 2017 and has lived in Auburn for the past year. He’s pursuing a degree in communication and public relations and works for the on-campus news station Eagle Eye TV.
Langdon said as mayor he would work to bring Auburn residents together, promote the growth of small businesses and try to bring more high-paying jobs to Auburn by expanding its industrial base.
He also said he’s concerned a push for taller buildings in the downtown area is promoting urbanization too rapidly in Auburn.
“There may be an alternative we can look at without having these 75-foot buildings towering over our downtown residents and businesses,” Langdon told al.com.
Auburn will hold its municipal elections Aug. 28. Ham has endorsed city Councilman Ron Anders Jr. in the mayor’s race. Also running are Brittany Cannon Dement, who teaches classes on ethics and government, and small business owner Richard Speake.
City council seats will be on the ballot as well, but Langdon said he chose to bypass those races.
“Mayor is more of a leadership role, running the meetings and stuff like that,” he said. “In high school, I had that experience of being the man in charge.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.