Cedar Rapids minister to run for mayor

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Cedar Rapids minister is throwing his hat in the ring in the race for mayor.

Tim Pridegon, 60, a resident of the southeast side and pastor of Lifeline Ministries, 1101 Oakland Road NE, said he heard the calling to run for the top elected position in Cedar Rapids and decided the time is right.

'I try to be a man that connects with God and the holy spirit,” Pridegon said. 'I felt a prompting in my heart that I should run. When I heard our wonderful mayor is resigning at the end of the year, I felt this just seems like the proper time.”

Pridegon, who is also a public safety chaplain for the city of Cedar Rapids, said he plans to run on a platform of love, peace and unity. Pridegon has been in Cedar Rapids since 1989 after spending much of his life in Galesburg, Ill.

Pridegon has a wife, Donna, three children, and three grandchildren.

Pridegon joins what should be a packed field in the race for mayor. City Council members Scott Olson and Kris Gulick, along with local businessman Brad Hart have declared their candidacy. Former Cedar Rapids Police Chief and Department of Corrections Director Gary Hinzman has formed a campaign committee but has not yet formally declared a run.

Two-term Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett announced last year we will not seek re-election as he considers his a bid for the Republican nomination for governor, leaving an open mayoral contest on Nov. 7. The candidate filing deadline is Sept. 21.

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