Written By JR Robinson

So, okay, we need to talk about what happened. By now, you’ve probably seen the news—JustMyMemphis broke the story just two days ago that Dr. Marie Feagins is officially running for Shelby County Mayor.

And that is huge. But if you really want to understand what kind of Mayor she would be, you don’t look at the press release from this week. You look at the tape from September 1st.

It was at the Danielle Inez 901DAY Summit—this massive celebration of Memphis culture. Dr. Feagins was there, months before this mayoral announcement. She wasn't a candidate yet; she was the moderator for a panel of Shelby County Commission hopefuls.

But looking back? It wasn’t a panel. It was a job interview. And she was the one asking the questions.

I went back and did a deep dive into the transcript of that summit. What I found was a blueprint for a Feagins administration—and a spotlight on six candidates who are about to be very important to your daily life.

Part I: The "Feagins Doctrine" (Receipts Required)

First, let’s talk about the vibe. Usually, these forums are soft. The moderator asks, "How will you stop crime?" and the candidate says, "I’ll work hard," and everyone claps.

Feagins wasn’t having it. She operated like an auditor.

Throughout the summit, she kept interrupting the "political speak" to ask about budget conditions. She wasn't asking if they supported juvenile justice reform; she asked, "What budget condition would you attach to make it happen?"

That is a specific, nerdy, bureaucratic flex. It tells me that if she becomes Mayor, she isn't going to rely on speeches. She is going to rely on the purse strings. She understands that in county government, policy is just a wish list until there is a line item attached to it.

Part II: The Candidates (A Deep Dive)

So, who survived the interrogation? The panel gave us a look at the people fighting for the future of the Commission. And the contrast between them was wild.

1. LaGina Mitchell-Scott (District 13)

• The Vibe: The Humanist.

• The Context: She’s running for the seat currently held by Michael Whaley. She’s a realtor, so she understands property values, but her answers were deeply personal.

• The Moment: When asked about the $1.3 billion jail, she didn't talk about construction costs. She brought up Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. She basically said: Why are we building a shiny new jail when the people inside it are failing at the basic "food and safety" level?

• My Take: She is going to be the moral conscience on the dais. She isn’t interested in the "business case" for a jail; she’s interested in the human cost.

2. Will Richardson (District 4)

• The Vibe: The Operator.

• The Context: He is the First Vice Chair of the Shelby County Democratic Party and a small business owner. He’s running for the seat currently held by Brandon Morrison.

• The Moment: He was the realist in the room regarding the "8-Way Split." (That’s the law where if we give money to Memphis schools, we have to give a cut to the suburbs). He admitted it requires a "tough conversation" but pivoted to stability for families.

• My Take: Richardson knows the system. He gave the most "politically safe" answers, focusing on stability and partnership. He’s playing the long game.

3. Jevonte Porter (District 12)

• The Vibe: The Equity Fighter.

• The Context: He’s running for District 12 (Erika Sugarmon’s seat). He framed everything through the lens of being a parent with a daughter in the system.

• The Moment: He was the boldest on funding. He flat-out said he would support a separate bond just for Memphis schools, even if the municipalities pushed back.

• My Take: This is the guy who is tired of waiting. He’s suggesting we bypass the local tax base and go get federal or philanthropic money ("resource allocation outside of our county"). That is a fresh strategy.

4. John Bradley & Samuel Nelson (District 10)

• The Vibe: The Battle for Orange Mound.

• The Context: Both are eyeing District 10 (currently Britney Thornton).

• The Contrast:

  • Bradley is the "Accountability Guy." He wants to track the $200,000 grant funds that commissioners get, implying they currently go to the "same people" with no results.

  • Nelson (who runs a wellness company) focused on food deserts. He dropped the most relatable line of the night: "The number one thing consumed is Hunt Brothers Pizza." He’s arguing that our crime and health stats are actually nutrition problems.

5. Gerald Green (District 7)

• The Vibe: Old School.

• The Context: He cited "27 years in law enforcement" and legal work, positioning himself against the current District 7 leadership (Henri Brooks).

• The Moment: He was skeptical of the whole premise. He thinks the money for roads and health is already there, just "misappropriated."

• My Take: He’s running on a "drain the swamp" style message—less about new taxes, more about auditing what we have.

Part III: The Elephant in the Room (The $1.3 Billion Jail)

The subtext of this whole meeting was the massive new jail proposal.

• The Context: There is a plan floating around to build a $1.3 billion facility, possibly at the old Firestone plant in New Chicago.

• The Reaction: Nobody on that stage wanted to touch the "Firestone" site with a ten-foot pole. They know that placing a mega-jail in a Black neighborhood that is trying to economically recover is a political landmine.

So, What Does This Mean?

Here is the thing.

We just watched the "pre-season" for the 2026 election. Dr. Feagins used this summit to test-drive her mayoral platform: Governance by Metrics.

She forced these candidates to show their cards.

• We know Mitchell-Scott will fight for the human side.

• We know Porter will fight for the money.

• We know Bradley will fight for the receipts.

Here is my ask for you: This wasn't just a panel; it was a preview of your property tax bill, your school repairs, and your neighborhood safety.

1. Find your district. (Are you D10? D13? You need to know).

2. Watch the tape. If you can find clips from the 901 Day Summit, watch how these people handle pressure.

3. Stay tuned. Dr. Feagins just entered the chat, and she is bringing a spreadsheet to a knife fight.

Let me know—which of these candidates sounds like they actually get it? I want to hear your thoughts.