Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther ran unopposed in 2019 to win his second term in office.
He says he has no plans on letting the protests and racial divide engulfing the city deter him from his mission as mayor.
“As long as I am in this office, every day, every fiber of my being I’ll fight for justice and change and reform that's what people of Columbus sent me her to do and I intend to fulfill that obligation,” he said.
This weekend, people protested outside his home again over his handling of police use of force and tear gas of peaceful protestors. And there's a recall campaign.
“He hasn't given a clear directive to police on what they can or cannot due and it's failed leadership,” said Jonathan Clark who is leading the recall effort.
Ginther is not afraid to call for change. In Mach 2019, he supported the decision to disband the police department's vice unit after highly publicized scandals including the arrest of adult film star Stormy Daniels and the indictment last week of vice officer Andrew Mitchell – who is facing life in prison.
Those calling for his recall say Ginther's decision to hire Chief Thomas Quinlan was his first mistake.
"Chief Quinlan to me represented the status quo,” Clark said.
Former Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, says only those who have been mayor know what the job really is about.
“I commend him for the work he's done. It's not easy. There's no one in the city that can sit there and say I can do this I'm proud that Mayor Ginther is the mayor of our city,” he said.
Coleman says leading in crisis is an art form that requires authenticity.
“Leadership is about being visible all the time being truthful all the time being unvarnished telling people what they need to hear not what they want to hear,” he said.
Ginther believes he is the right person to lead the city and asks the public to be patient.
“I know this is difficult. I know this is challenging I know that reform and change are messy and hard but I ask our neighbors to give each other a bit of grace,” he said.
Ginther’s term ends on December 31, 2023.
As for the recall campaign, organizers need 15,000 valid signatures to get it on the November ballot.