A former city councilman has decided to run for Mayor of Lansing. Harold Leeman filed the paperwork Thursday.
Leeman served 12 years on the council before he was voted off in 2011. He then lost the 2013 mayoral election to Virg Bernero.
He said he could have run for a council seat again, but decided the Mayoral race is missing something. "I just didn't want to stay out of this race, you know. Sure I could have ran for at-large but I feel that um they needed a competitive race in the mayorship and um we'll see what happens."
Leeman is currently facing a felony embezzlement charge related to his works with the Lansing Parks System. He described the situation as a bookkeeping oversight and hopes the charge will be dismissed.
Leeman is the third candidate in the race after State Representative Andy Schor and City councilwoman Judi Brown Clarke.
One of the three will be eliminated in the August primary election.
