Wes Rogers launches bid for KC mayor focusing on public safety and affordability
Council member Wes Rogers wants to make Kansas City the cultural capital of the heartland by making the city a place where people want to be. He said that will be accomplished if he is elected mayor.
Rogers, who currently represents the 2nd District on the City Council, launched his campaign Thursday evening at the recently renovated Boone Theater near 18th and Vine. He told a crowd of supporters that he will focus on issues that make Kansas City a place where people are proud to be.
He also said his vision for the city is one that includes everyone.
“This is a vision for the East Side, for the Westside, South Kansas City, for the Northland, the LGBT community, immigrants, and refugees,” Rogers said. “Anybody who wants to live in a place that is safe, affordable, and welcoming, this is the city.”
Rogers joins a race that currently includes Mayor pro tem Ryana Parks-Shaw, 4th District at Large council member Crispin Rea, and Kenda Tomes McClain, a Kansas City finance attorney. Missouri Ethics Commission records also show P.J. Guastello, co-owner of Oak Ridge Family Social Club, is running for the office.
Rogers’ campaign launch was supported by other local politicians — former Mayor Sly James and former Democratic state lawmaker Lauren Arthur — who both lauded Rogers’ leadership skills and his focus on public service.
“I would not be here supporting Wes if I didn’t believe he was the best person for the job,” James said. “This is the man I believe who has the best attitude, approach and best leadership skills to lead Kansas City for the next eight years.”
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Rogers told the crowd that his priorities as the next mayor would not be novel, noting the other candidates in the race are all focusing on the same issues. But he argued his experience as a state lawmaker, city council member and a former prosecutor gives him the right mix of experience to accomplish those goals.
“I’m running for mayor in a city that I believe in,” Rogers said. “It’s going to be a city where families choose to stay in return, a city where entrepreneurs choose to invest, and a city where every single citizen will have something to believe in.”
Prior to City Council, the Democrat served in the Missouri House of Representatives, representing southern Clay County from 2019 to 2022. He touted his experience in Jefferson City, suggesting he has a reputation in the state legislature for getting things done.
Arthur, who Rogers replaced in the Missouri House, commended Rogers for his earnestness and willingness to serve. She said his time as a Missouri lawmaker showed he is a politician with a focus on public service and leadership, which is not easy to do in the state capital.
“He held firm to his progressive values, while also being pragmatic and independent-minded,” Arthur said. “He showed up to every meeting, he served every constituency, and he delivered results.”
Rogers also pointed to his legal career as a public defender and later as a prosecutor of violent crimes for Clay County. He said his experience in criminal justice provided him with first-hand experience in improving public safety.
Rogers also said he and his brother were raised in the Northland by a single mother, so he knows the importance of creating an affordable city. He said he wants the city to help ease the burden of a tight economy by providing quality city services, expanding the city’s streetcar system and building more affordable housing.
“We’ve got to build more housing,” Rogers said. “When I’m mayor, we will build housing like crazy.”
Rogers is currently serving his first term on the City Council, taking the position in 2023.
The primary election is set for April and the general election is in June 2027. The winner of the race will replace outgoing Mayor Quinton Lucas, who is finishing his second four-year term.
