Local

Columbus firefighters endorse Hardin for mayor in rebuke of Ginther

Columbus, Ohio • November 11, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Photo: Fire Apparatus Magazine

Columbus' firefighters union endorsed City Council President Shannon Hardin for mayor on Wednesday, in a rebuke of Mayor Andrew Ginther nearly a year before the 2027 election — citing staffing shortfalls and an aging fleet at the Division of Fire.

International Association of Fire Fighters Local 67 leadership and Hardin made the announcement at the IAFF union hall on Wednesday, November 11. The early endorsement, in an election almost a year out, sends a clear message that the union is unhappy with how Ginther has overseen staffing shortfalls and an aging fleet at the Division of Fire. Ginther also ousted former Fire Chief Jeffrey Happ, who enjoyed support from the firefighters union.

IAFF Local 67 is one of the city government's largest unions and represents about 1,700 employees at the Division of Fire.

The endorsement lands in what is shaping up as Columbus' most competitive mayoral race in decades. Hardin, a former ally of Ginther, publicly broke with the mayor and announced his candidacy in August. Ginther is seeking a fourth term, and State Rep. Munira Abdullahi is also in the race. All three are Democrats; city elections are technically nonpartisan.

Hardin has already drawn support from other prominent Democrats. Congressman-elect Don Leonard said he plans to back Hardin, and Hardin has also received endorsements from Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor and City Council members Rob Dorans and Lourdes Barroso de Padilla. Ginther, meanwhile, has the backing of much of the party establishment: a fundraiser for him on November 11 is hosted by all three Franklin County commissioners, John O'Grady, Erica Crawley and Kevin Boyce.

Other city unions have not yet picked sides. The union representing city police generally does not endorse before the primary, according to Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9 President Brian Steel. The city government's largest union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1632, has not begun its process for endorsing a candidate, said President Will Harmon — though Harmon said there is a strong chance of a pre-primary endorsement.

The field in the mayor's race is still taking shape, and some lesser-known candidates are still pulling petitions. If more than two candidates make the ballot, there will be a primary election on May 4 to narrow the field. The top two vote-getters advance to the November 2 general election.

Sources: The Columbus Dispatch, "Hardin lands early firefighters union endorsement for mayor" (Nov. 11, 2026, full text verified); The Columbus Dispatch, "The 2026 elections are over. Now Columbus' 2027 mayoral race begins" (Nov. 10, 2026, full text verified). Event date verified: November 11, 2026 (endorsement announced at the IAFF union hall). Note: the endorsement announcement itself is so far carried only by The Columbus Dispatch; other outlets had not picked it up at publication time.