State Senator Andy Berke announced his candidacy for office of the mayor of Chattanooga Tuesday morning at the Chattanooga Theatre Center.
He said, “As mayor of Chattanooga, I want to help build our bridge to the future. The decisions we make over the next four years will affect today and tomorrow. We must aspire to a city that is prosperous in every sense of the word, an environment that offers opportunity and quality of life for all who seek it.”
Born and raised in Chattanooga, he was elected to the state Senate in 2007 and has served as the state senator for Chattanooga and Marion County for the past five years. During his tenure in the General Assembly, he was recognized for his bipartisanship and leadership on issues like education, cutting government waste, and supporting veterans. Senator Berke was most recently applauded for passing the Tennessee Works Act, a new program that moves unemployed workers back into the workforce, his campaign said.
“We live in the greatest place in the world; our citizens are generous and engaged; our community leaders are dedicated to enhancing our city,” he said.
Following his announcement for mayor, Senator Berke visited with students at Chattanooga State’s Wacker Institute and met with voters across the city to discuss his vision for Chattanooga.