Larsen Jay kicks off county mayoral campaign
By Ken Lay
Larsen Jay is looking to take the next step in public service.
Jay, who is in the midst of his second term on the Knox County Commission, At-Large Seat 10, kicked off his campaign for Knox County Mayor late Thursday afternoon at an event at Bridgewater Place in West Knoxville.
“The opportunity to be Knox County Mayor is a great opportunity for me to expand on the work that I’ve done on the county commission,” Jay said. “There’s no better time than right now. As an at-large commissioner, I have served all of Knox County.
“We used to call this (position) the County Executive, and I want to be the executive to run the business of Knox County.”
Jay, who has served seven years on the Knox County Commission, is seeking to replace Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, whose second and final term ends in 2026.
“I have worked closely with Mayor Jacobs and the members of the county commission, and I will continue to work with the county commission,” he said.
Jay made it clear that he’s not a politician but a public servant.
“This is not about politics. It’s about public service,” said Jay, who vowed to make Knox County a better place. The staunch supporter of law enforcement also vows to support the military and be an advocate for education.
“Knox County is the best place in the country to live,” he said. “This is where you chose to live, work and raise your children.
“I want to live in a Knox County where we support law enforcement and we have the best officers who want to serve, live and raise their families in our great community. I want to live in a Knox County where we don’t have a single homeless veteran. I want to live in a Knox County where we have the best teachers who have world class facilities for teachers to teach and students to learn, and I want to live in a Knox County where we train our next generation of leaders.”
Jay said that he can’t lead Knox County alone.
“I will need your help,” Jay told his supporters. “I will promise never to lie to you. I’ll always tell you the truth.
“I will always listen. To be a good leader, you have to be a good listener, and I’ll need you to be truthful to me.”
