ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer announced Wednesday that she will seek a fourth term, pledging to lead the city through what she called a “historic recovery” from Tropical Storm Helene.
Manheimer said her decision was driven by a commitment to oversee more than $225 million in federal funding she helped secure for Asheville’s long-term rebuilding efforts.
“In the wake of this storm, we have an opportunity to use funding we’ve never had before, to build back better,” Manheimer said in a statement. “Recovery is a multi-year effort requiring steady collaboration and leadership. I went to Washington, fought for our community, secured the funding, and I want to see us through.”
During Helene’s aftermath, Manheimer served as the city’s primary spokesperson to national media and federal officials. She toured storm-damaged areas with President Joe Biden and Gov. Roy Cooper, pressing for additional disaster relief. Her advocacy led to Asheville receiving federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds in addition to FEMA assistance, the news release said.
Manheimer said the city’s recovery strategy will focus on economic revitalization, community resilience and sustainability, and equitable opportunities for residents. The federal money will be distributed across multiple agencies over the next six years.
“This is about stewardship of an unprecedented opportunity,” she said in the release. “We have the chance to not just rebuild, but to create a more resilient, equitable and sustainable Asheville for the next generation.”
The campaign announcement drew immediate support from State Sen. Julie Mayfield, who said Manheimer’s leadership was essential during the storm response and will be equally critical in overseeing the federal recovery funds.
“Mayor Manheimer proved her crisis leadership skills when our community needed it most,” Mayfield said in the release. “Now we need that same steady hand to guide us through this historic recovery effort.”
Manheimer, first elected mayor in 2013, was reelected in 2017 and 2022. Her tenure has included advancing reparations initiatives, negotiating what she called the most equitable budget in city history and serving in leadership roles with state and national municipal organizations.
She is a graduate of Asheville High School and holds law and public administration degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Manheimer is a partner at The Van Winkle Law Firm and lives in Asheville with her husband, Mark Harris, a public school teacher and coach, and their three sons.
The nonpartisan municipal primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2026, with the general election on Nov. 3.
