Lily Wu

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Lily Wu
103rd Mayor of Wichita
Assumed office
January 8, 2024
Preceded byBrandon Whipple
Personal details
Born1984 (age 39–40)
Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Political partyRepublican (before 2022)
Libertarian (2022–present)
EducationWichita State University (BA)
University of Hong Kong (MA)

Lily Wu (born 1984) is an American politician and former television news anchor, currently serving as the 103rd mayor of Wichita, Kansas, since 2024. Although the position is non-partisan, and the party made no election endorsements, she is a registered voting member of the Libertarian Party.[1][2][3]  

Early life and career[edit]

Wu's parents left China to immigrate to the United States and she was born while her parents lived in Antigua Guatemala in 1984. The family moved to Wichita in 1993. Wu graduated from the International Baccalaureate program at Wichita East High School, earned her bachelor's degree in international business and integrated marketing communication from Wichita State University, and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Hong Kong.[4]

Wu joined KAKE as a reporter in 2010. She hosted their morning show from August 2014 to September 2016.[5] She left KAKE in December 2019.[6] She joined KWCH-DT as an anchor and reporter in June 2020[5] and resigned her position in March 2023.[7]

Political career[edit]

Wu attended the Charles Koch Institute and completed a one-year associate program. She was a member of the Republican Party, but switched her voting registration to the Libertarian Party in 2022.[4]

In April 2023, she announced her candidacy in the 2023 non-partisan election for mayor of Wichita.[8] She was endorsed by Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the Wichita Regional Chamber PAC,[9] the Wichita Fraternal Order of Police, and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.[4][10] Wu raised $440,000, a record amount and number of contributors, and AFP spent an additional $192,000 on her behalf.[10]

Wu finished the primary election in first place and advanced to a runoff election with incumbent mayor Brandon Whipple.[11] She defeated Whipple in the general election, 58% to 42%[12] making her the first Asian American mayor of Wichita, Kansas.[13] Newsweek called her win the Libertarian Party's "Biggest Ever Election Win",[14] but the Libertarian Party of Kansas does not recognize her as an official Libertarian candidate.[1][2][15]

Wu was sworn into office on January 8, 2024, in a ceremony at Wichita City Hall.[16]

Elections[edit]

Wichita mayoral election, 2023[17][18]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Lily Wu 12,217 30.0
Nonpartisan Brandon Whipple (incumbent) 9,775 24.0
Nonpartisan Bryan Frye 9,070 22.3
Nonpartisan Celeste Racette 6,831 16.8
Nonpartisan Jared Cerullo 1,870 4.6
Nonpartisan Shelia M Davis (Rainman) 254 0.6
Nonpartisan Julie Rose Stroud 246 0.6
Nonpartisan Tom Kane 220 0.6
Nonpartisan Anthony Gallardo 182 0.4
Total votes 40,665 100.0
General election
Nonpartisan Lily Wu 37,004 57.6
Nonpartisan Brandon Whipple (incumbent) 26,841 41.8
Nonpartisan Write-in 415 0.6
Total votes 64,260 100.0

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "From The Chair Re: Election of Lily Wu as Mayor of Wichita, KS". Libertarian Party of Kansas. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  2. ^ a b Boehm, Eric (November 10, 2023). "Is Wichita Mayor-Elect Lily Wu a Libertarian?". Reason. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  3. ^ "Lily Wu to become first Asian American mayor of Wichita, defeats current mayor". KCUR. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  4. ^ a b c Kelly, Matthew (October 29, 2023). "Wu says Wichitans want a leader they can be proud of. She's ready to 'get back to the basics'". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Neil, Denise (June 10, 2020). "Former KAKE reporter Lily Wu gets an on-air job at a different local station". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Neil, Denise (November 18, 2019). "Popular reporter on KAKE-TV confirms she is leaving the station". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  7. ^ Kelly, Matthew; Swaim, Chance (March 1, 2023). "Television reporter Lily Wu resigns from KWCH to explore a run for mayor of Wichita". The Wichita Eagle.
  8. ^ Swaim, Chance (April 3, 2023) "Lily Wu announces run for Wichita mayor, flexes broad coalition of business support"., The Wichita Eagle.
  9. ^ "Wichita Chamber PAC Announces Election Endorsements | Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce". www.wichitachamber.org. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  10. ^ a b Swaim, Chance; Kelly, Matt; Rengers, Carrie (November 9, 2023). "'We need to do this together': Lily Wu will be Wichita's next mayor". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  11. ^ "Brandon Whipple, Lily Wu advance to general election for Wichita mayor". KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR. August 2, 2023.
  12. ^ "Lily Wu wins election for Wichita mayor". KSN. November 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "Political newcomer Lily Wu becomes 1st Asian American mayor of Wichita, Kansas". Yahoo News. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  14. ^ Plummer, Kate (2023-11-08). "Libertarian Party scores biggest ever election win". Newsweek. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  15. ^ Jacoby, Jeff; Globe Columnist (November 22, 2023). "Wichita picks a libertarian - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  16. ^ "'Humbled and so grateful': Lily Wu sworn in as Wichita's mayor". The Wichita Eagle. 2024-01-09.
  17. ^ "August 1, 2023 Primary Results" (PDF). sedgwickcounty.org. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  18. ^ "November 7, 2023 General Election" (PDF). sedgwickcounty.org. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Wichita
2024–present 		Incumbent
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