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It’s an Action Race: Mayor Wosje Announces Re-Election Bid at City Council Session

The waiting game is officially over. Incumbent Plymouth Mayor Jeff Wosje formally announced his 2026 re-election bid at Tuesday's City Council meeting, setting up a high-stakes campaign against challenger Clark Gregor.

by The Newsroom at PlymouthMN

Updated June 29, 2026

It’s an Action Race: Mayor Wosje Announces Re-Election Bid at City Council Session — It is officially a race! True to his word, Mayor Jeff Wosje used Tuesday night's City Council meeting to announce he is running for re-election in 2026. This sets up an elite, incumbent-on-incumbent battle against Council Member Clark Gregor for the city's highest office.

The countdown to November is officially on, and the political landscape of the West Metro has its definitive headliners.

Fulfilling the "stay tuned" directive he delivered to PlymouthMN.com at last Saturday's town hall, incumbent Plymouth Mayor Jeff Wosje used the Tuesday, June 23 City Council meeting to formally announce that he will seek re-election for another term.

The announcement, delivered from the center of the council chambers, instantly shatters weeks of municipal speculation. It locks the city into a highly watched, heavyweight political contest, pinning Wosje against sitting At-Large Council Member and Deputy Mayor Clark Gregor, who launched his own mayoral challenge earlier this month.

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A Star-Studded Night at City Hall

The city hosted an official legislative update featuring a panel of four prominent state-level lawmakers representing Plymouth at the State Capitol

Mayor Wosje’s declaration came during an exceptionally high-profile council session. In a unique mid-summer gathering, the city hosted an official legislative update featuring a panel of four prominent state-level lawmakers representing Plymouth at the State Capitol.

The legislative delegation spent the evening briefing city staff and residents on major state-level infrastructure dollars, transit grants, and tax frameworks directly impacting the West Metro.

However, the true tectonic shift of the night occurred when Wosje solidified his place on the upcoming fall ballot.

The Mayoral Arena: Current Status & Platform Focus

Mayor Jeff Wosje, Incumbent

Focus: Public safety excellence, strict financial stewardship, environmental sustainability, and managed commercial growth.
Status: Running for Re-Election (16 years of local council experience, 8 years as Mayor).

Council Member Clark Gregor, Challenger

Focus: Senior housing options, young family housing affordability, neighborhood walkability, and sustainable economic growth.
Status: Campaign Actively Underway (Nearly a decade of city experience across Environmental Quality, Planning, and Council roles).

Filing Deadline

All candidates must formally register with the City Clerk between Tuesday, July 14, and Tuesday, July 28, 2026 (by 5:00 PM).

The Defining Clash of Visions

With both candidates officially in the arena, Plymouth voters are staring down a classic municipal choice.

The Incumbent Track: Mayor Wosje’s Platform

As first detailed in his formal campaign launch materials reported by the Sun Sailor, the Mayor is structuring his 2026 re-election bid Postson four primary pillars:

unwavering support for local police and first responders,
keeping property taxes low through strict financial management,
continuing the push for green spaces and conservation,
and guiding smart development.

Under his watch, Plymouth has evolved into a powerhouse corporate magnet for medical device manufacturing and technology hubs—culminating in the city's national ranking as a premier place to live in Minnesota.

The Challenger Track: Council Member Gregor’s Platform

Council Member Gregor is driving a platform aimed directly at structural evolution.

Having served on the city's Environmental Quality Committee starting in 2017, the Planning Commission, and now as Deputy Mayor, Gregor's campaign centers on localized accessibility issues. His platform focuses heavily on diversifying housing options so that local seniors can downsize without leaving their community and young professionals can afford to put down roots, calling it both a social and vital economic issue for the city's future.

We are here to fill the void between the mainstream media and social media; to create a hyperlocal publication focused on the West Metro.

What This Means For Your Ballot

Because two highly prominent, sitting City Hall leaders are competing for a single gavel, the upcoming months will test the political alignment of the city. The race will serve as a direct referendum on how Plymouth should deploy its proposed $135 million "Play it Forward Plymouth" parks expansion—which includes major updates to the Plymouth Ice Center, a year-round Fieldhouse, and a new regional sports complex at the former Four Seasons Mall site—and how to manage the ongoing 2050 Master Plan.

The official candidate filing window opens on Tuesday, July 14, and closes on Tuesday, July 28. Additional independent challengers still have a month to enter the fray, but as of Tuesday night, the battle lines for the future of Plymouth have been explicitly drawn.

PlymouthMN.com will continue to bring you noise-free, neutral tracking of both campaigns as the summer election cycle heats up.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of PlymouthMN.com’s ongoing, neutral coverage of the 2026 municipal and regional elections. PlymouthMN.com does not endorse political candidates. All declared candidates for Plymouth public office are invited to submit their official announcements to our editorial team.