Ever-confident O'Connell talks first two years in office

Why it matters: At the midway point in his term, O'Connell is fine-tuning the pitch for his reelection bid.

Zoom in: His message is likely to include an emphasis on his signature transportation program Choose How You Move, which voters approved last year, and the city's new 10-year plan for boosting affordable housing.

• "We've made sure that for a generation to come, we're making investments in transit and infrastructure that [seemed] literally impossible, and we did that in just one year," O'Connell says.

Yes, but: If O'Connell is optimistic, he is also clear-eyed about the headwinds his administration faces, especially from Republican elected officials ranging from President Trump to state lawmakers.

The big picture: Inroads he'd made with state Republicans faltered this summer based on his response to Trump's immigration crackdown. A congressional investigation is ongoing.

• Federal dynamics also flipped after Trump's victory. O'Connell says the city went from "direct, cabinet-level" collaboration with the Biden administration on issues like infrastructure funding, health policies and gun violence prevention to "direct opposition from the Trump-Vance administration."

The arrival of a new governor in 2027 will likely usher in another shift. The frontrunner in the race, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, is a vocal critic.

• "I absolutely think the nature of the partnership and collaboration we have had with the state government is likely to change as a result of the election," O'Connell says.

Transit plan and big development deals

O'Connell hit two years in office with strong approval ratings, according to the latest Vanderbilt Poll. Voters also indicated their support in November 2024 by endorsing his transportation funding referendum by a wide margin.

• Mayors before him tried and failed for two decades to advance dedicated funding for mass transit.

State of play: Early dividends from the new funding include increased bus service, a transit security division and the upcoming launch of Journey Pass, a reduced fare program for low-income residents.

The latest: On Friday, O'Connell announced the next wave of transportation funding, which will pump $104 million into projects including new sidewalks, improved traffic signals and bus service expansions.

Zoom out: His administration also touts the East Bank development agreement with the Fallon Company and neighborhood-level improvements, like better snow cleanup, as early successes.

The other side: O'Connell successfully pushed for a property tax increase this year. He argued it was necessary to maintain financial footing, but it got pushback from conservative activist groups and some property owners.

• He also faced resistance from the growing liberal flank in the council on an effort to expand police access to private security camera footage.

GOP pushback grows

Despite tangible policy wins, Metro politics have been anything but rosy.

Driving the news: O'Connell has had to withstand brutal political attacks from Republicans, which increased exponentially when Trump returned to the White House.

Behind the scenes: Making personal connections has long been central to O'Connell's political approach, and he prioritized doing the same with Republican leaders in state government after he took office.

• He pointed to collaboration on legislation to create the East Bank Development Authority as an example of progress on meeting the GOP halfway.

Friction point: O'Connell says he could not have guessed when he took office the "downstream impact" of Trump's administration on Metro.

• Early into his second term, Trump's plan to slash federal spending via Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency targeted city health funds.

• "When we realized we were very likely going to have to engage in litigation to protect congressionally authorized funds on a constitutional basis, that was a pretty clear sign that the landscape had changed."

The city won a lawsuit over Health Department funding allocated by Congress that was chopped by DOGE.

Flashback: Dysfunction between Metro and conservative state and federal leaders was underscored in early May following a massive immigration roundup in Nashville.

• After an ICE-THP operation led to about 200 arrests, O'Connell was critical of the effort and promoted the launch of a nonprofit fund to help immigrant families affected by the raids.
• Republicans were incensed, and U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles pushed for investigations. Blackburn and state lawmakers like Rep. Johnny Garrett led a loud chorus of criticism.

O'Connell says he believes Nashville voters have his back.

• "I hear from people across the city and all parts of the county that know that most of these attacks were completely unwarranted, in many cases, objectively false, and in other cases, selectively exaggerated," he says.
• "We've still got incredibly strong support on the ground."

Looking ahead

O'Connell says he plans to focus on affordability in the next two years.

• Housing is at the top of the list, but he also mentioned the possibility of trimming the sales tax on groceries, continued investments in child care and his Financial Empowerment Center.

The intrigue: O'Connell signaled he's open to studying the future of Nashville General Hospital, especially following Meharry Medical College and the hospital ending a longstanding disagreement.

He also hinted at progress toward a deal with the Tennessee Performing Arts Center for a new facility on the East Bank.

• "We've been working on it doggedly for well over a year, but I think the intensity of that has increased because we're coming up on a stated deadline" of Dec. 31, he says.
• "That's why deadlines are good and clarifying tools."

The bottom line: O'Connell is feeling confident: He marked the second anniversary of his first day in office with a party and fundraiser at Eastside Bowl.

• Throughout his interview, he reiterated sinking crime rates, growing school scores and the city's sturdy financial position.

"There's research that we prefer negative headlines," O'Connell says.

• "But I think that's why it's important to me to be out present in the community as much as possible, talking as much as I can about these important milestones."