SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Following recent events at the South Fulton City Hall, the coming mayoral election has incumbent Mayor Khalid Kamau facing a challenge from Councilmember Carmalitha Gumbs.
Now, former South Fulton Mayor Bill Edwards is throwing his hat back in the ring for the 2025 election.
“I love this city, I’m right for this city, I understand this city,” he said.
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As the “inaugural” mayor of the City of South Fulton, Edwards said “voters convincingly” chose him to be their first mayor when the city incorporated in 2017.
He told Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln under his leadership the city’s budget grew from a deficit to more than $60 million.
He was defeated in 2021, by current Mayor Khalid Kamau. Kamau was among city leaders voting to remove Edwards from office in 2019 over a controversial developmental deal. The investigation was dropped with no action taken against Edwards.
Edwards said if elected, he plans to make improvements under his S.E.A.L program. It’s an acronym standing for stability, economic development, accountability, and listening.
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“With this program SEAL, we’ll be able to touch on all those things and give this program the nourishment that it needs to blossom,” said Edwards.
Edwards served for 14 years on the Fulton County Commission prior to running for mayor. He represented District 6 which covers a large portion of South Fulton.
Kamau is running for reelection, but if Gumbs wins, she’d be the first woman to be mayor of the city.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to Mayor Kamau for a comment regarding Edward’s announcement. He has not responded.
Gumbs told Channel 2 Action News in a prerecorded video that “anyone can run for office, I represent the future, I represent progressive leadership. The difference between Carmalitha Gumbs is that I have cast thousands of votes on legislation that’s benefited the city. Check the record Bill Edwards has never cast a vote on any legislation and also I don’t have any ethics challenges.”
Edwards would similarly be the city’s first mayor to come out of retirement to run again and win, should he be victorious.
“I want to put that behind us and go forward with harmony and making sure that our city is going to be the best city it can,” Edwards said.
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