Johnson County Supervisor Mandi Remington kicked off her reelection campaign at Sidekick Coffee and Books on March 4, with roughly 20 members of the community in attendance.

The incumbent is running for supervisor in Johnson County’s District Five. The Board of Supervisor seats will be up for election in the Iowa primaries on June 2. 

Although the supervisors were elected to four-year terms in 2024, they now must be reelected after Senate File 75 was passed in 2025, requiring supervisors to be elected by district instead of at- large, with voters only able to vote for one candidate in their district.

Remington’s campaign launch follows Supervisor Rod Sullivan’s on Feb. 25, who is running for reelection in District Four.

RELATED: JoCo incumbent Rod Sullivan launches reelection campaign

Eric Kusiak, a community organizer and a nursing manager at University of Iowa Health Care, gave a speech highlighting Remington’s achievements and goals as supervisor. He said having leaders like Remington is critical in a turbulent political landscape. 

“We need leaders like Mandi who will unapologetically stand up for it and not sacrifice her values,” Kusiak said.

He said what he respects most about Remington is that she is a community organizer, with her “superpower” being the ability to bring people together. He said Remington can unite people on issues, whether they are fighting for the environment or reproductive rights.

“She does that because she knows that the walls of fascism are encroaching in on us and the only way we can fight back is together,” he said.

Kusiak also said while the other supervisors may attend events and meet with organizations in the community, Remington organizes them. Remington founded the Corridor Community Action Network in 2019, which works to alert people of ways they can help the community.

“That is the kind of person that Mandi is, that is the kind of person that I want in a supervisor, and that is why I support her,” Kusiak said.

Iowa City City Councilor Mazahir Salih said she sees many families every day who come to Johnson County in search of a place where they feel welcomed, supported, and can build futures for their families.

“Johnson County has always been a place where people believe in community, have passion, and share responsibility,” Salih said. “But keeping that promise takes leaders who listen.” 

Salih said that during Remington’s first year as a supervisor, she has demonstrated the kind of leadership that Johnson County needs.

“This campaign is about more than an election,” Salih said. “It is about the kind of county we want Johnson County to be in the years to come.”

Estella Ruhrer-Johnson, Remington’s campaign manager, said it is a privilege to be able to serve a candidate like Remington, adding that Remington represents young people in the community, especially students. Ruhrer-Johnson called Remington“the voice for the voiceless.”

“People who find themselves in Mandi Remington and people who volunteer with and work for Mandi Remington know that her ideology is the only one resonating with young people,” Ruhrer-Johnson said.

She said if younger generations want to win elections, they are going to need more candidates, who are hard to find, and that the county needs to keep those candidates, like Remington, in power for as long as possible.

Remington said the state legislature has been relentlessly attacking local control, referring to the redistricting bill.

“We are going through a challenging time right now and it’s clearer than ever how important it is for our government to be representative of the people that it serves, and that’s why, as a former West High debater and somebody who has lived in the south district for longer than I’ve lived anywhere else in my life, I’m running for reelection in District Five,” Remington said.

She also spoke about her life as a UI employee, a small business owner, a single parent of three children, and a domestic abuse survivor. She said that these experiences shape the way that she leads and the decisions she makes.

“I understand our community strengths and the areas that we can improve because my life has been embodied by so many of them here,” Remington said.

Remington said her background working in the community makes her a good candidate because it has allowed her to bring new knowledge, ideas, and resources to the board to improve programs.

“The primary is June 2, and I’m asking you all to be a part of this campaign, whether that’s by taking a sign, signing up to volunteer, hosting a house party, or by donating to help us continue the work,” Remington said.