John Anker breaks tradition, files to run for citywide Columbus Council seat
Columbus Councilor John Anker, who was appointed as an interim representative, has filed a declaration of intent to accept campaign donations to run for the citywide District 9 council seat, going against tradition and a previous statement.
Last March, the late Columbus Councilor Judy Thomas of District 9 resigned from the council because of declining health. During the same meeting, the council in a 6-3 vote appointed Anker, a former mayoral candidate and former council candidate, as her replacement.
At the time, Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson argued against making the appointment so fast and said he believed Anker may run for office again.
“Historically, council has talked about the individual and made sure that they’re making a commitment that they’re not going to use that interim incumbent label to run for an office on council,” Henderson said during the meeting. “I don’t know if anyone’s had a chance to offer that up to Mr. Anker.”
Anker ran for two citywide races. He lost to Henderson in the 2022 race for mayor. Then he lost to Travis Chambers in a 2024 runoff for the District 10 citywide council seat.
John Anker answers questions about decision to run
In an interview with the Ledger-Enquirer last year, Anker said he had no plan to run for council or mayor. At the time, Anker said his wife was against the idea. Now, however, he has a different plan.
Anker said Monday he was never asked whether he would run to retain the council seat when the council considered appointing him.
“No promises were made,” he said. “And my intention was not to run at the time.”
Anker didn’t give an explicit reason why he decided to run now after saying he had no plan to run, but he did say the city charter doesn’t have any rule against it.
In recent years, another person who was appointed to finish a councilor’s term also went on to run for the seat, Anker said.
Valerie Thompson was appointed to the District 4 seat in 2019 after councilor and Mayor Pro Tem Evelyn Turner Pugh resigned. At the time, Thompson said she would not seek re-election.
However, she ran for the seat in 2020 but dropped out before the runoff, leaving Toyia Tucker to face Elaine Gillipsie. Thompson told the L-E afterward that she had not expected opposition when she qualified for the election.
“I’ve always said I didn’t want to run for that office,” Thompson said.
Anker said he will continue asking hard questions about how the city spends money and the city’s debt.
“I’ve decided I’m just gonna keep on pushing for positive change,” he said.
Anker’s appointment to the council seat sparked almost immediate backlash last year, with more than 20 residents speaking at an overflowing council meeting following his appointment to criticize the vote.
Anker said he doesn’t care about the criticism he expects to receive by running for the District 9 seat.
“I’m trying to do this for the majority of citizens the best way I know how,” he said. “That includes citizens who are giving me the criticism. I feel like there are better ways to serve them, and that’s why I’m going to continue pushing.”
John Anker’s opponents for the District 9 seat react to his decision
Anker’s opponents in the District 9 race already have begun to speak against his decision. John Van Doorn, who is also vying for the seat, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email, “Integrity means honoring your commitments, whether they are written or unwritten.”
“My newest opponent’s campaign begins by breaking the public’s trust,” Van Doorn wrote in the email. “We can’t trust someone who agrees to a hasty appointment as a caretaker for a Council seat and then takes unfair advantage of that to run as an incumbent for the same position.”
Van Doorn also criticized Anker’s initial appointment to the seat, saying he would not have accepted it without public debate and that the council was “wrong to appoint Anker then without due diligence.”
Cathy Cook and Rocky Marsh are the other candidates running for the citywide District 9 seat.
Marsh told the L-E he welcomes any candidates who have or will enter the race. He wants to focus on issues, including public safety, quality of life, economic growth and support for first responders and veterans.
“Competitive elections are healthy for our democracy and our city,” Marsh said. “Columbus deserves a thoughtful conversation about its future.”
The L-E didn’t reach Cook for comment before publication. No declared candidates are official until they qualify during the first week of March for the May 19 ballot..
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 10:58 AM.
