Sharon Gay offers voters ‘a fresh start’ in her first mayoral bid video

Sharon Gay sought to separate herself from the other mayoral candidates Wednesday in a video titled “Experienced, Not Entrenched.”

“I don’t bring the allegiance to all the things that have been tried and failed before,” Gay said in a video. “What I bring is a freshness and an opportunity to take a fresh look at how the city ought to operate.”

Gay faces several challengers in the Nov. 2 race, including three city council members and former mayor Kasim Reed. She and Council President Felicia Moore were the only candidates to enter the race before Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced she would not seek reelection.

In the video, Gay is shown interacting with Cedric Alexander — her public safety adviser — as well as David Patton, an Old Fourth Ward neighborhood leader, and Katharine Kelly, a businesswoman and civic leader. The residents said Gay understands how the city works and how it can improve.

Gay is a senior counsel in public policy practice for the Dentons law firm, and she previously served as vice president of governmental affairs for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. She also served on the cabinet for former Mayor Bill Campbell and has previously worked for the State Attorney General’s Office.

If elected, Gay said her administration would focus on public safety, city services, affordable housing, small business support, and programs to support healthy neighborhoods.

“I want to fix what’s broken in our city, address what’s been neglected, and build a health inclusive community that works for all Atlantans,” she said.