Macon Magazine

'I AM BUILT FOR THIS' LARHONDA PATRICK BECOMES FIRST BLACK, FIRST ELECTED FEMALE AND YOUNGEST MAYOR IN WARNER ROBINS HISTORY BY JAMI GAUDET | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT ODOM I t's a political Cinderella story. A first-time candidate, an unknown Black female, unseats a two-term incumbent, shattering the glass ceiling while notching several firsts: First Black mayor. First elected female mayor. And, at 38 years old, LaRhonda Williams Patrick is the youngest mayor ever to grace city hall in Warner Robins. She's got a lot to prove, but this multi-tasker, who until late December, juggled duties as Fort Valley's part-time city attorney and solicitor while maintaining a private law practice in Warner Robins, says running for office was always in the cards and she was built for this. However, Patrick never envisioned launching her political career with a mayoral run until a local group persuaded her to vie for the International City's top job. Basically, they wouldn't take no for an answer, despite her best attempts to steer them elsewhere. In Warner Robins' non-partisan mayoral contest on Nov. 2, Patrick faced incumbent mayor Randy Toms and accountant Stephen Baughier. In the general election, Toms nipped Patrick by 93 votes, 45 percent to 44 percent, with Baughier a distant third. Since no candidate garnered 50 percent of the vote, Toms and Patrick squared off in a Nov. 30 runoff. According to Patrick, that's when the race heated up: "I ran as a non-partisan candidate and my resources were limited. It wasn't until the runoff that I got an infusion of cash, support and volunteers." Despite her underdog status and a barrage of negative mailers sent by her opponent's camp, she won by nearly 4 percentage points. Patrick is quick to credit her victory to that small, politically diverse group who encouraged her candidacy and backed her every step of the way. Admired personally and professionally, those familiar with Patrick's work are effusive in their praise for her research and decision-making skills. She's branded as diligent and someone who goes the extra mile for folks — whether they are clients, colleagues, family or friends. Weeks before her swearing in on Jan. 3, Patrick spoke with Macon Magazine. UNLIKELY SUPPORT, RECLUCTANT CANDIDATE Jami Gaudet: You decided to run for mayor in May 2021. Tell me about the group that encouraged your candidacy and had your back once you jumped into the race. Mayor Patrick: This local group was formed to find good people to run for offices that touch Warner Robins on city, state and national levels. It's a sample of people who know about government . They either held elective offices or served on boards or authorities. They're Democrats and Republicans, strong liberals, strong conservatives, Black, white and a mix of ethnicities and genders. Some were Trump supporters, and that warmed my heart. But they saw me for me, not an R or D; not B or W, not M or F. They grilled me, but were open-minded. And they knew I supported veterans. JG: How did you know they are Trump loyalists? Mayor: We talked about it. Every week I met with a group of Vietnam veterans, and I continue to meet with them. We're complete opposites, but I believe in being a non-partisan candidate, because that's who I am. On the Friday after the election, I walked into the restaurant where they hold their meetings and they gave me a standing ovation. I gave a little speech and three of them were crying. Their reaction filled me with pride. JG: It's tough to picture a group so diverse during a time of such divisiveness. Mayor: The group told me three different times in 2021 they wanted me to run for mayor. I resisted the first two times, but when they asked a third time, I started meeting with people who ran the city. I paid homage. I made sure I knew them; they got to know me, and I finally decided to run. JG: Who was more surprised by your victory, you or Randy Toms? Mayor: I was surprised, but I'm a results person, and I ran because I thought I could win. With my 52 maconmagazine.com | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022

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