Mayor John Cooper will not run for reelection

Mayor John Cooper announced Tuesday that he will not run for a second term this year.

The news came as a surprise to some, as Cooper had already held a fundraiser, filed official paperwork setting the stage for a 2023 campaign and recently secured endorsements from Nashville's police and fire unions. He was elected to the office in 2019 after one term on Metro Council. Cooper's time in office has been defined by the 2020 tornado, COVID-19, the Christmas 2020 bombing and a push to build a new stadium for the Tennessee Titans.