Former Memphis-Shelby County Schools superintendent Marie Feagins is officially running for Shelby County Mayor, according to reporting from JustMyMemphis. The announcement ends weeks of speculation about her political future, first raised publicly by the Memphis Flyer, which noted earlier this fall that Feagins had been weighing a countywide bid.
JR Robinson of JustMyMemphis reported Wednesday that Feagins has “officially announced her campaign,” highlighting that her move into the race follows a contentious period at Memphis-Shelby County Schools. During her time as superintendent, Feagins drew both praise for ambitious reform efforts and criticism tied to political discord that ultimately led to her departure, according to the outlet.
Public records also show that Feagins quietly filed paperwork with the Shelby County Election Commission on October 31, designating Telise Ezell-Turner as her campaign treasurer. The filing went largely unnoticed until this week but confirms that she had been preparing a run while conversations about her intentions were circulating.
Feagins joins an already active field of candidates seeking the mayor’s office. Those who have previously declared include Memphis City Council member JB Smiley Jr.; Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery; Assessor of Property Melvin Burgess Jr.; Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn; county Chief Administrative Officer Harold Collins; and Rusty Qualls, a manager with LegalShield.
