Alexandria City Council Member Alyia Gaskins To Run For Mayor

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria City Council member Alyia Gaskins announced Monday that she plans to seek the Democratic nomination for mayor. The announcement comes after Mayor Justin Wilson said last week he will not be running for a third term as mayor.

Gaskins, who was elected to the Alexandria City Council in 2021, said she decided to run for mayor to ensure that every resident gets a chance to thrive as the city "experiences tremendous growth and prosperity."

If elected, she would be the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Alexandria.

"I’ve decided to run for Mayor to work with you to create innovative solutions to ensure that Alexandria is a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive," Gaskins said in a statement.

Along with serving as a city council member, Gaskins works as a senior program officer at the Melville Charitable Trust and runs a consulting business called CitiesRX.

Wilson announced Friday that he won't seek re-election in 2024. He attributed the decision to balancing work and family life with mayoral duties.

Wilson was first elected as mayor in 2018 after defeating incumbent Mayor Allison Silberberg in an upset victory in the Democratic primary election. Before serving as mayor, he served eight years on Alexandria City Council, including as vice mayor from 2016 to 2019.

“I’d like to thank Mayor Wilson for his years of service to our city, and for the sacrifices that he and his family have made over his time in office,” Gaskins said.

ALXnow reported Monday that Vice Mayor Amy Jackson also plans to seek the Democratic nomination for mayor next June. Jackson was elected to the city council in 2018 and became vice mayor in 2021. Jackson told ALXnow that her "campaign details are still forthcoming."

Prior to her election to the city council, Gaskins served on the city's Transportation Commission, Hunger Free Alexandria, Agenda Alexandria, Women of Color in Community Development, and the Junior League of Northern Virginia.

As mayor, Gaskins said she will work to help residents be able to afford to buy a home; coordinate development efforts with the city's public works, transportation, school, and climate resilience strategies; and protect and expand tenant rights.

She also pledged to increase youth summer employment, recreation activities, and mental health support in the city; fund critical infrastructure stormwater management, transit options, and broadband expansion; and fight for increased pay for workers and collective bargaining.

Gaskins holds a B.A. in Medicine Health and Society from Vanderbilt University, an M.A. in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh, and an M.A. in Urban and Regional Planning from Georgetown University.

The Democratic primary for mayor and city council is scheduled for June 18, 2024.

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