Michael McLaughlin responds to Herald-Leader endorsement for 5th District Council | Opinion

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your endorsement process for Lexington’s 5th District Council race. While I respect your decision, I believe your endorsement overlooked an important perspective in this election: the value of experienced, common sense, neighborhood focused leadership grounded in both professional accomplishment and decades of civic involvement in Lexington.

Your editorial correctly identified several major issues facing our city - housing affordability, infill and redevelopment, neighborhood preservation, and public engagement. Those same priorities have not been overlooked in my campaign. I have consistently advocated for responsible infill and redevelopment within the Urban Service Boundary, support for missing-middle housing, and continuing to foster Fayette County’s rural economy and agricultural identity. I have also emphasized that affordable housing includes helping residents on fixed or limited incomes remain in the homes they already own.

At the same time, I believe local government must remain focused on the practical concerns residents experience every day. Throughout this campaign, neighbors have repeatedly raised concerns about traffic safety, reckless driving, road conditions, flooding caused by leaves clogging storm sewers, and responsiveness from city government. These issues directly affect quality of life across the 5th District.

I also believe local government in Lexington benefits from independent, non-partisan candidates like myself. My approach has been straightforward: listen first and make decisions grounded in what neighbors say matter most to them, and ensure residents feel heard and represented in decisions made at City Hall.

As a lifelong Lexington resident with more than forty years in the 5th District, I remain committed to common sense leadership and practical solutions shaped by the voices of our neighbors.

Michael McLaughlin wrote this piece in response to the Herald-Leader’s endorsement of Stephenie Steitzer Hoelscher and Nicholas Wolter for Lexington’s 5th District Council primary. The Herald-Leader invites candidates who were not endorsed to respond with an op-ed.