WILMINGTON — Luke Waddell has thrown his hat into the campaign ring, in hopes of keeping his city council seat for four more years.
Elected in 2021, Waddell stated in a press announcement Monday that the city needs strong leadership to continue its progress.
“I love this city. Serving the people of Wilmington over the past four years has been the honor of a lifetime,” Waddell indicated. “Wilmington deserves bold, principled leadership that is forward-thinking, direct, and always accessible to the people we serve.”
A small business owner of Cadence Realty Corp., Waddell is licensed as a N.C. real estate broker, a broker-in-charge and a contractor. He also serves on multiple boards, including Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, Downtown Business Alliance and the UNCW Board of Trustees.
He officially announced his run on social media last week and has committed to three focus areas of his campaign: public safety, promoting economic opportunities and preserving Wilmington’s character as it grows.
Most recently, the city councilman has been outspoken regarding needed green space in the community and was a proponent of the city’s first social district pilot program earlier this year. It launched in the Brooklyn Arts District and Waddell, who lives downtown, championed the boost it would provide businesses (the city will take up social districts again mid-July).
Waddell was the only dissenting vote against the city council’s budget this year. It was one-tenth of a cent away from being revenue-neutral, which the council member advocated for throughout the budget process.
As departments brought forth areas to cut from the budget this fiscal year, Waddell pushed back against Wilmington Police Department’s mounted horse unit being sheared, noting: “Cutting proven safety tools is not my idea of good governance.” It eventually was added back in.
He also spoke out against continuing the red light camera program, Safelight, costing the city $300,000 annually yet lacking data to show its efficacy; it ended up being cut.
Waddell has advocated for better pay and support to police and fire departments in the last year as well. In the fall, before 2025-2026 budget discussions began to address issues, he voted against a $6.3-million improvement package for retrofitting and construction of the city’s headquarters, Skyline Center, noting the money could be better spent. Though Waddell was one of the unanimous votes in favor of the $68-million purchase of the center in 2023, he also did not favor city council occupying top floors, but rather advocated for receiving premium rent for the penthouse to help decrease taxpayer burden.
Waddell seeks one of three council seats up for re-election in this year’s Nov. 4 election. Though city council is a non-partisan board, Waddell is only one of two Republicans serving currently — Charlie Rivenbark being the other. In addition to his own seat up for grabs, Rivenbark and Clifford Barnett (D) also have expiring terms.
Barnett is seeking re-election as well and new candidates have added to the fold. So far it includes JC Lyle (D), Richard Collier (R), Cassidy Santaguida (D) and Chakema Clinton-Quintana (D).
The mayoral race so far includes Bill Saffo seeking another term against former county commissioner and incumbent Jonathan Barfield, both Democrats. Filings for the municipal elections open through the board of elections on July 7 and close July 18.
Port City Daily will send candidate questionnaires to every candidate by the end of summer, to learn more about where they stand on issues facing the city. The candidate interviews will be published in multiple voter guides ahead of the fall election.
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