Dream job for native son, former police officer

Washington announces mayoral run

(Covington – Dec. 1, 2023) – Vice Mayor Ron Washington announced that his campaign for mayor of Covington begins today.

Becoming mayor of his hometown is something Washington has thought about for some time. He appreciates the leadership of Joe Meyer and all that he learned from him since first being elected to the Covington City Commission in 2000. But as top vote getter in the past two commission races, Washington feels he has the community support necessary to win and lead.

“We have accomplished quite a bit in the past several years,” he said. “But we need to make decisions and take actions that keep the momentum going. I’m ready to do that.”

One of his key priorities will continue to be boosting small business. He’s looking forward to seeing the effects of the new incentives for electronic signs, rent subsidies and façade improvements and wholeheartedly supports the city’s “all character, no chains” philosophy.

Washington also promises to continue fighting for all of Covington, to make sure all neighborhoods feel the #LovetheCov progress. One of the biggest ways to do this is to make sure jobs and training are available for all. Two big initiatives to skill up Covington’s work force and raise incomes for families are just getting started – construction trades classes at the new Latonia location of the Enzweiler Building Institute and the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades, which teaches skills specific to restoring historic buildings.

He’s proud of the recreation basketball league he started this year. More than 70 elementary school boys and girls got a chance to play for the new Covington Bulldogs. He’s hoping to continue and grow that kind of community engagement.

Washington came to Covington as a newborn to live with his foster mother, Anna Washington, who later adopted him. He grew up on West Sixth Street in Covington’s Old Town/Mutter Gottes neighborhood. He’s a proud product of Covington Independent Public Schools, graduating from Holmes High School, where he’s still the “voice” of the Lady Bulldogs basketball team.

He’s also a retired law enforcement officer who worked for the Florence Police Department, where he was the first African-American officer, and for the Kenton County Sheriff’s Office.