Raleigh's Next Mayor: Meet candidate James Shaughnessy IV, a Gen Z'er with an unconventional path

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- James Shaughnessy IV is running his campaign for Raleigh mayor from an apartment filled with lawn signs -- a testament to his grassroots approach to local politics. The 25-year-old pre-law student at William Peace University isn't your typical mayoral candidate, but he's hoping that will work to his advantage.

"I don't have $300,000 in the bank," Shaughnessy says, acknowledging the financial challenges of his campaign. "But with what we've got, we're being very strategic trying to make it work."

The young candidate has built his platform around several key issues, including infrastructure efficiency, public transit improvements, and fiscal responsibility. Among his priorities are revitalizing mental health services, establishing farms for schools, and strengthening blue-collar education programs. However, housing affordability tops his list of concerns.

"When I was working at a catering job after high school, I was on track to buy a house in Raleigh. Now, I'm nowhere near," Shaughnessy explained. "My mom makes a lot more money than I do, and she's struggling to find a place to live that's affordable."

While he may be Raleigh's youngest mayoral candidate, Shaughnessy brings unexpected experience to the race. In February 2022, he spent months in Ukraine, where he worked alongside American veterans to train Ukrainian militias following the Russian invasion. Drawing on his self-taught knowledge of weapons and warfare, he assisted in preparing local forces for defense.

"I thought about it. I had some money saved up. I wasn't really doing anything at the moment, and I was like I could help them, I could do something. So I did," he reflected.

Despite facing significant challenges in name recognition and campaign funding, Shaughnessy remains optimistic about his chances.

"This is an uphill battle for sure. I knew that walking in," he admitted. But when asked if he can win, his response is confident: "Oh yeah! There's always a chance to win."

The politically independent candidate said he believes his youth and fresh perspective could be assets rather than liabilities. "I would say I have a lot more lived experience than some 40-year-olds," he asserted.

This concludes ABC11's series Raleigh's Next Mayor.

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