Desmont Upchurch announces candidacy for South Bend mayor

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - St. Joseph County Auditor candidate Desmont Upchurch has announced his mayoral bid for the city of South Bend.

Upchurch is a 20-year U.S. Army Veteran, who announced his intention to run against incumbent Democrat James Mueller in the race for mayor on Tuesday.

“I’ve done recruiting, where I’ve pitched the idea to try and sell this lifestyle-- the army lifestyle-- to young men and women, to serve and protect your country, right? And I believe taking those same abilities here in South Bend of leadership, and having a mission, and going forward, I believe can move South Bend to a better position than it was yesterday,” Upchurch told 16 News Now.

“South Bend is a great city, but we must understand that there is more work that we can do to make our city a much better place,” Upchurch said. “Addressing the current mental health and reducing the gun violence in our great city, will take leadership as well as ownership. A true leader is one who understands that where there is no vision, the people perish. Making our city better will start with electing a true leader. That’s why I am announcing my candidacy for Mayor of South Bend. As a leader, I understand that South Bend belongs to the citizens of this great city, not one person.”

Watch the announcement video below:

16 News Now reached out to South Bend Mayor James Mueller for comment on this announcement. The mayor’s office declined to mention Upchurch by name regarding his campaign for mayor but did say in part, “The mayor is focused on delivering results for South Bend residents and building a brighter future for every neighborhood.”

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