LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A prominent pastor on Tuesday threw his name into the field of candidates vying to become mayor of Louisville in 2022.
In announcing his candidacy, the Rev. Timothy Findley Jr. of Kingdom Fellowship Christian Life Center said he feels like the city needs integrity, transparency and strategy.
"I felt that now was the time for me to sort of go after what I believe is a more equitable, vibrant and progressive city," Findley told WDRB News. "This was the moment that I could really appeal to people to see a distinction between myself and the ideas that I would bring as compared to the administration now."
Findley founded the Justice and Freedom Coalition during racial justice protests that broke out in Louisville last summer after the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor. The pastor has been at the center of demonstrations and has, at times, clashed with police. He has a pending lawsuit against the St. Matthews Police Department over his arrest during a June 2020 demonstration for Taylor on Shelbyville Road.
"I think it's important to know that — a lot of those clashes — they were with, in a lot of ways, the extremely toxic culture of our police department," Findley said. "I believe that we're at one of the most consequential moments in our city’s history, where we brought things to the forefront, we've shown what the issue is and now that we know what the issues is and we're continuing to deal with that ... it's time to talk solution.”
Findley started leading Kingdom Fellowship Christian Life Center, located near South Preston Street and Broadway, in 2008. According to the church's website, Findley sits on several notable boards: Evolve502, Centerstone (formerly Seven Counties) and the Louisville Metro Police Accountability Review Board.
Louisville's current mayor, Greg Fischer, will term out of office in January 2023. Despite the general election being 20 months away, the field of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination is quickly growing crowded.
Metro Council President David James, a retired LMPD officer and former president of the police union, announced his intention to run for mayor in January.
Activist Shameka Parrish-Wright, co-chair of the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, has also announced a bid for mayor. Parrish-Wright is also the operations manager of The Bail Project Louisville.
In the wake of Findley's announcment, Parrish-Wright posted a picture of her and the pastor together to her Instagram account. In the caption, she says: "No bad blood with Pastor Findley and he knows this ain't personal but I am not backing down."
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