Weddle to face former acting mayor, one other candidate in contentious London race
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- Mayor Randall Weddle files for 2026 reelection against Handley and Orr.
- Council impeached Weddle; courts reinstated him while appeals proceed.
- Four council incumbents filed; 14 additional contenders seek legislative seats.
London Mayor Randall Weddle will go up against Tracie Handley — the former acting mayor who held the post this fall while Weddle was impeached for three weeks — and one other candidate in this year’s election cycle.
Weddle, Handley and Matt Orr filed in the mayor’s race before the Jan. 9 deadline. Weddle, the incumbent, will be running for a second term for London’s top executive position, while Handley and Orr will be running their first campaigns.
After filing for reelection Friday, Weddle said on Facebook he has more work he wants to accomplish and is not backing down from the political turbulence he’s faced in the recent months.
“I’m running again because intimidation doesn’t defeat purpose, and pressure doesn’t break someone who’s called to serve,” Weddle wrote in the Jan. 11 post.
On Sept. 5, the London City Council unanimously removed Weddle from office after determining he committed misconduct or willful neglect.
The three unanimous counts involved Weddle executing a $5 million mortgage on Levi Jackson State Park and the Laurel County Fairgrounds without the council’s approval, failure to fill ethics board vacancies in a timely manner and not properly publishing a city ordinance.
Weddle appealed the impeachment ruling Sept. 11 in Laurel County Circuit Court. A little more than two weeks later, a special judge presiding over the case, David Williams, reinstated him as mayor.
The council appealed the order, but Weddle has remained in office in the meantime. The case is being reviewed by the Kentucky Court of Appeals after the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled there would be no irreparable harm from keeping Weddle in office while the council’s efforts to remove him continue.
While Weddle was impeached, the council appointed Handley to serve as acting mayor. She was the first female mayor in London’s history during her three-week appointment and is now seeking a full term.
“During that short but significant period, I was privileged to work alongside dedicated public servants and community leaders, to view our city and its strengths from a new perspective, and to see where London can be made even better,” Handley wrote on Facebook.
Handley was born and raised in London and graduated from Laurel County High School. She is a retired trial science consultant and performed a number of trial services for civil, criminal and federal cases.
Her mayoral appointment was her first time holding a public office. One of the first actions she took was asking Kentucky State Police for updates on the Doug Harless shooting death investigation.
“As I seek your trust and support, I pledge to bring dedication, my varied experience, and a true passion for London to the office of mayor,” Handley wrote on Facebook. “Together, we can make London a city that reflects our values, meets our challenges, and inspires the next generation.”
Orr is also a first-time candidate after his family and friends encouraged him to run. He said in a Facebook post he is tired of the negativity surrounding London and has the city’s best interests at heart.
“Looking forward to this race and representing all the supporters I have already and ultimately the City of London!” he wrote in a Jan. 9 Facebook post.
More than half of city council files
London council members Jim Baker, Kelly Greene, Donna Gail Wilson-House and Justin Young all filed to run. They will take on 14 other candidates.
Greene and Young are elected council members, while Wilson-House and Baker were appointed. Incumbents Anthony Ortega and Judd Weaver did not file to run in 2026.
Other candidates for city council include Johnny Miller, Curtis Goos, Jamie Gibson, Matthew Allen, Chase Carson, Sharon Benge, Roxanne Roberts, John Bruner, Jim Nunley, Consondra Loughran, Deborah Gilbert, Heather Dyche, James Jones and Patrick Taylor.
All mayor and city council candidates are invited to attend a candidate meet-and-greet event after a city council meeting Monday, Feb. 2. Handley and Orr have already announced intentions of attending.
