Bloomington's mayor is telling supporters he'll formally launch a re-election bid next week.
Tari Renner is sending supporters emails saying he'll officially announce his third run for mayor August 24th during a noon event at the Route 66 visitors center in downtown Bloomington.
The 58-year old Illinois Wesleyan University political science professor formerly chaired that department. He lost his first race for mayor in 2009 when he fell to incumbent Steve Stockton by just 15 votes. Four years later, Renner outdistanced challenger John Hanson by about 1,500 votes. Lex Green also ran. Stockton did not seek re-election.
Renner never campaigned on a visitors center for Route 66, but took up the cause early in his term. He did campaign hard on a downtown hotel and conference center. Only in the past year has the issue taken hold, with two failed proposals, and now a downtown property owner ready to go it alone on a scaled-back hotel in the Front 'N Center property.
Renner's only other bid for public office came in 2004, when he lost to Republican Jerry Weller while running as a Democrat. No other candidate has announced a bid for Bloomington mayor, although current Ward 1 alderman Kevin Lower is said to be considering a run.