The Next 50 is thrilled to share our endorsements of four exceptional mayoral candidates—Mayor Justin Bibb of Cleveland, OH; Mayor Paige Cognetti of Scranton, PA; Mayor Zeb Smathers of Canton, NC; and Detroit Council President Mary Sheffield for Mayor of Detroit, MI—who represent the pragmatic, results-oriented leadership our party needs to come out of the wilderness, win elections, and govern.
These endorsements build on our early 2025 success with Gina Ortiz Jones, our first mayoral endorsement of the year, who won her race to become Mayor of San Antonio with 52.3% of the vote by defeating GOP Governor Greg Abbott’s hand picked candidate.
Why Mayors Matter
Our strategic focus on executive leadership reflects critical intelligence: according to our partners at SplitTicket, mayors are the highest-performing profile for running for higher office in competitive races. Mayors manage budgets, oversee complex operations, and respond to crises while maintaining accountability to diverse constituencies—exactly the executive experience that translates to success in gubernatorial and federal campaigns.
When we invest in these mayoral candidates, we're not just supporting individual campaigns—we're building the pipeline of next generation Democrats who will lead our party out of the wilderness and back to governing in 2026 and beyond.
Our 2025 Mayoral Slate
Mayor Paige Cognetti, Scranton, Pennsylvania: Scranton's 36th mayor has achieved something remarkable—transforming a city's fiscal trajectory while never losing sight of affordability for working families. Under Cognetti's leadership, Scranton emerged from 30-year distressed financial status in 2022 and cut proposed water rate increases in half while maintaining budget surpluses. Mayor Cognetti’s administration has streamlined operations through reduced red tape and lower permit fees, strengthened public safety with additional officers and enhanced training, and revitalized neighborhoods with parks upgrades and community partnerships that address hunger, support veterans, and celebrate the arts. With impressive experience spanning the Obama Treasury Department and Biden Trade Committee, plus her election as trustee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2025, Cognetti represents the kind of comprehensive executive leadership that scales to higher office. She's a NewDEAL Leader whose pragmatic approach to creating transparent, efficient, and fiscally responsible city government while maintaining community trust provides a replicable model for Democratic leadership nationwide.
Mayor Justin Bibb, Cleveland, Ohio : Cleveland's 58th mayor is leading transformative change to modernize city services and uplift communities across the city where he grew up in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. His administration has launched impactful initiatives like the Southeast Side Promise program and a $100 million housing investment fund to expand affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods. Through the Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone (RISE) initiative, Cleveland saw a 36% drop in homicides complemented by record-high police recruitment—demonstrating that Democrats can deliver concrete results on public safety concerns. Mayor Bibb is reconnecting Cleveland to its waterfronts, securing over $150 million in funding to transform Lake Erie's shoreline and engaging more than 5,000 residents to shape a master plan for increased access and economic development. His $5 billion Shore-to-Core-to-Shore initiative includes major public-private investments in the city center and Cuyahoga Riverfront. On the national stage, Bibb serves as president of the Democratic Mayors Association and co-chairs America is All In, advocating for climate action and equity, while also serving as national co-chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. He's a NewDEAL Leader whose comprehensive approach represents executive leadership that can scale nationally while maintaining authentic community connections.
City Council President Mary Sheffield for Mayor of Detroit: Sheffield made history as the youngest council member elected in 2013 representing District 5, and for the past 11 years has served as chair of the Neighborhood and Community Services Standing Committee while serving on Planning, Economic Development, Budget Finance, and Audit Standing Committees. During her tenure, she's been instrumental in passing 23 significant pieces of legislation, including Inclusionary Housing, Property Tax Reform, Home Repair Grant Funding, Neighborhood Improvement Fund, Homeowner Property Tax Exemption (HOPE), and Right to Counsel. Her community engagement initiatives include monthly "Conversations with the Councilwoman" series and flagship "Occupy the Corner – Detroit" events that demonstrate authentic community connection. Recognized for her visionary leadership with awards including Crain's Detroit Business's '40 Under 40' and the Detroit Branch NAACP's Great Expectations Award, Sheffield's mayoral vision focuses on ensuring all residents participate in Detroit's economic resurgence through comprehensive strategies that address housing affordability, economic development that prioritizes higher-wage jobs for current residents, and neighborhood-centered approaches that create safe, walkable communities where Detroiters can thrive.
Mayor Zeb Smathers, Canton, North Carolina: This eighth-generation Canton resident and next generation mayor has demonstrated extraordinary crisis leadership, guiding his community through challenges that would test any leader. After Tropical Storm Fred's 2021 floods destroyed half the town, Smathers assumed regional leadership on flooding issues and became a fixture on local and national media programs advocating for his community's recovery. When Canton's economic cornerstone—the paper mill that employed hundreds and set "the rhythm of life" for 115 years—closed in March 2023, costing 1,100 jobs, Smathers focused on charting a path forward while balancing the competing pressures of economic development and preserving Canton's identity as a working-class community. Most recently, he's led Canton through Hurricane Helene recovery, which swelled the town's river to over 25 feet and destroyed dozens of homes and businesses. Named The Mountaineer's 2023 Person of the Year, Smathers approaches these challenges with both pragmatic urgency and deep respect for his neighbors' concerns about affordability and maintaining Canton's character. "I lose sleep over affordability," he told the New York Times recently, understanding that hospitality jobs, while important, don't replace the high-paying manufacturing work that sustained families for generations. His authentic understanding of post-industrial economic transition, proven crisis leadership, and ability to navigate complex community concerns while maintaining media presence create ideal credentials for future leadership. Smathers is a NewDEAL Leader whose thoughtful approach to economic transformation demonstrates exactly the kind of genuine, community-rooted leadership that succeeds at the local level and translates effectively to higher office.
Building Enduring Democratic Infrastructure
These endorsements reflect our organizational approach—identifying exceptional candidates early in their careers and providing the strategic advantage needed to win elections, govern effectively, and chart a course forward for the Democratic Party over the next five decades.
From Gina Ortiz Jones's San Antonio victory to Mayors Cognetti, Bibb and Smathers, and council president Sheffield, we're building a bench of principled, pragmatic, “get sh** done” Democrats who demonstrate effective governance and can lead our party out of the wilderness.
We’re grateful for our partners at the NewDEAL for nurturing many of these mayors, and look forward to continuing to build on our work to support next generation leaders together.
Mari Manoogian serves as Executive Director of The Next 50.The Next 50 is building the Democratic leadership pipeline for the next five decades through strategic investment in principled, pragmatic candidates who will shape American governance from state capitals to Washington, D.C. Support our 2026 strategy →