
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie introducing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio at a DSM event in 2019. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Frank Cownie is considering a run for a sixth term as Des Moines' mayor, he told Axios this week.
- He's leaning towards it but isn't quite ready to make an announcement.
State of play: Cownie has gained more international influence as an environmental advocate since the last election.
- Last year, he was named president of the Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), a network of thousands of local and regional governments across the world.
- He's behind a push to make DSM an example of how local leaders can lead environmental policies, including a recent goal for the city to end its use of fossil fuels by 2035.
What's happening: Some of Cownie’s supporters are urging him start planning now for next year's election.
Catch up fast: Cownie was a DSM plan and zoning commission member and a councilperson before he took office as mayor in 2004.
- He narrowly won reelection in a runoff against former state senator Jack Hatch in December 2019.

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