Johnny Crist to Run for Mayor

City of Lilburn councilman Johnny Crist said late Friday afternoon that he plans to run for mayor in November.

His plans to give up his council seat (Post 1) to run for the city's highest office has been rumored for several weeks. He decided to announce Friday afternoon, after calling Mayor Diana Preston and the rest of the council earlier in the day to tell them first.

Crist's entry into the race brings the total to three, including Preston, who will seek her second term, and Porter Deal, a Lilburn resident who ran unsuccessfully against B.J. Pak for the Georgia House in the last election.

Nothing is official, however, until candidates qualify during the Aug. 29-Sept. 2 qualifying period.

Crist, the senior pastor of the Atlanta Vineyard Church, has been a Lilburn resident since 1986. He said he has been thinking about running for mayor almost as long.

"I knew that this was in my future," he said of his passion for civic involvement. "I want to lead ... That's how I'm built. It's my passion."

Crist said he considered running for mayor in 2008, when he was elected to the City Council, but felt he needed to "learn and grow" on the council first.

Check back with Lilburn Patch for more on Crist's decision.