Maynard Jackson, Atlanta's first Black mayor did it, and now that Keisha Lance Bottoms has exited the field, the conversation is crescendoing about whether Kasim Reed might run again to become the next Mayor of Atlanta.
Those close to Reed tell Boynton that "he's taking this weekend to make a decision."
He hasn't been totally silent however. Reed tweeted about Bottoms "We are thankful for Mayor Bottoms' service to the city of Atlanta. I know that she will continue to make a positive difference."
Jackson was Mayor of Atlanta from 1974-1981. That was two consecutive terms, the maximum. Andrew Young then served as Mayor of Atlanta for 8 years. Jackson was reelected in 1989.
Reed was Mayor of Atlanta from 2010-2018, and because of the term limits, could not file to run in 2017.
The city and a potential field of candidates await a decision from Reed. According to political strategist Fred Hicks, a run by Reed would "severely limit the field because he has all the name recognition, the
infrastructure and would have the money to run the race."
Running for Mayor of Atlanta is a multi-million dollar effort. In 2017, about $10 million was spent on the Atlanta mayor's race, according to reports by the city clerk's office.
There were 13 candidates vying for the position that was ultimately won by Bottoms.
The prospective field for 2021 includes legislators, commissioners, council members, former candidates and more.
Hicks, President and founder of H.E.G. LLC, a political consulting firm, says "this mayor's race has just become interesting."
Current Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore is the only official and publicly declared candidate in the race. She's been raising funds and campaigning. Sharon Gay, an Atlanta attorney, has filed the official paperwork to run.
Now that Bottoms has announced that she will not seek reelection, not only is Reed being mentioned, but so is former Congressman Kwanza Hall.
Atlanta City Councilman Antonio Brown could make his intentions known as-early-as next week.
Other names being tossed about: Doug Shipman, founding CEO of the Center for Civil and Human Rights and former CEO at the Woodruff Arts Center, and Peter Aman. The latter received the most votes of any male in the 2017 Atlanta Mayor's race.
If this is any indication of just how wide of a field it could be, newly elected Fulton County Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman says that she is "contemplating" adding "my phone has been ringing off the hook."