Fogle withdraws from Hannibal mayoral race, says he plans to run again in three years

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Jeremy Fogle is out of the Hannibal mayoral race, according to an announcement posted to social media Friday afternoon.

Two candidates remain following Fogle’s departure — current 4th Ward councilmember Charles Phillips and former 1st Ward councilmember Darrell McCoy. The winner of the election will replace Barry Louderman, who opted not to run for re-election.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my withdrawal from the race for mayor of Hannibal,” Fogle wrote. “Due to government bureaucracy and the lengthy wait time for a military document proving my five-year consecutive residency, I was unable to meet this requirement while under public scrutiny. Despite having lived in Hannibal for 19 years and serving in the military for eight, I was unable to move forward.”

Details surrounding the military document Fogle referenced are unclear. A document dated Jan. 9 stated Fogle’s candidacy had already been verified by City Clerk Melissa Cogdal as having met all of the minimum qualifications, including that he’d been an inhabitant of the city for five years.

Cogdal’s office and Fogle were both unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

Fogle plans on running for mayor again in three years, the post says.

“I do not see this as a failure, but rather as an opportunity to better prepare myself for Hannibal’s future,” he wrote. “I will not give up, nor will I allow this setback to define me. I care deeply about this community and feel a strong responsibility to address its challenges.”

Fogle first announced his bid to run for mayor on Jan. 17 on Facebook. He said he grew up in Hannibal and eventually enlisted in the U.S. Army as a helicopter mechanic. During eight years of service, he was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq and completed rotations in Kuwait and South Korea, earning the rank of sergeant and performing as a team leader by the end of his career.

After completing his service with the Army, he attended the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, then lived briefly in Florida and Arizona before returning to Hannibal. He worked at General Mills as a mechanic and later with the Hannibal Housing Authority.

“I want to serve as mayor of Hannibal because I believe in the potential of our community,” he said in the post announcing his campaign. “I’m not running for personal gain. I’m running because I love this town. And I’ll be honest, I’m not a seasoned politician. But I ask you to judge me not on my experience in government but on my vision for Hannibal. Together, we can ensure that Hannibal thrives while staying true to its heritage as ‘America’s Hometown.’”

He listed three goals he planned to achieve if he had been elected as mayor:

• Introduction of public transportation, such as a bus route, for people who don’t have vehicles and/or can’t drive.
• Digitize city documents using workflow automation software to streamline processes, reduce wait times and enhance overall organization.
• Condense official the City of Hannibal social media platforms to enhance transparency and ensure the quick dissemination of important information in one place.

“You brought a lot of hope for many people here … Above all, you’ve made a stand with a younger generation of citizens here who want to act on change,” one commenter wrote on Fogle’s post announcing his withdrawal.