Renard Carlos announces second mayoral run in Warrenton

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, former Warrenton Town Council member Renard Carlos is making a second bid for mayor, betting that his experience, name recognition and a narrow loss four years ago against current mayor Carter Nevill will be enough to carry him across the finish line this time.

Nevill has already said he will not seek a third term, setting up a contest between Carlos, who announced his candidacy in a Jan. 18 Facebook post, and Darine Barbour, a member of the Warrenton Planning Commission appointed in December 2022.

As he prepares for the 2026 election in November, Carlos has framed his campaign around what he describes as unfinished business, including renewed attention to affordable and workforce housing, clearer communication between town leaders and residents and economic development efforts aimed at attracting higher-paying jobs and boosting tourism in Warrenton.

"Our last campaign, we came very, very close to winning," Carols told FauquierNow. "A lot of those things that were issues then are still issues now."

Carlos, who served as an at-large councilmember from 2018 to 2022 and currently works as a program officer focused on outreach for the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, said years of contentious debate over growth, housing, transparency and the town’s overall direction influenced his decision to run again. He argues the town would benefit from a mayor with prior experience who could provide what he described as “steady governing” and help rebuild trust in local government.

"I think we're at a moment now where the residents are definitely looking for some more stability and governing decisions," he said.

Carlos’ emphasis on transparency and communication comes amid long-running political tensions in Warrenton that have lingered since the Town Council approved a special permit for a 220,000-square-foot Amazon data center – town staff approved a site development plan in April – at the intersection of Blackwell Road and Lee Highway. Those tensions reached a boiling point in October, culminating in the Town Council's vote to fire Town Manager Frank Cassidy.

Cassidy’s firing followed months of sparring over the town’s Commission on Open and Transparent Government, which had pushed for broader access to internal town emails and records related to several major land-use decisions, including the Amazon data center. Supporters of the effort argued greater access was necessary to rebuild public trust, while town staff and legal counsel warned that releasing internal communications could expose sensitive or protected information and put the town at legal risk.

The decision drew sharp criticism from Nevill and several councilmembers, who said the move was rushed and poorly explained to the public. Councilmembers who supported Cassidy’s dismissal declined at the time to provide specific reasons.

Carlos said those episodes underscore what he views as a breakdown in communication between elected officials, town staff and residents. He has cited the Cassidy firing and the prolonged disputes over email access as examples of decisions that, in his view, could have been handled with greater transparency and public engagement.

"I believe that is what residents want and deserve—leadership that comes prepared, values collaboration and focuses on solutions rather than finger-pointing," he said.

Looking ahead, Carlos said his policy priorities remain largely consistent with his 2022 campaign, though he emphasized that specific proposals are still taking shape.

On housing, Carlos said he wants the town to take a more proactive role in encouraging affordable and workforce housing, including exploring zoning changes, partnerships with developers and coordination with county officials. He said those efforts would be aimed at helping teachers, first responders and service workers live closer to where they work rather than being priced out of the town.

Carlos also said economic development remains central to his platform, particularly attracting higher-paying jobs while expanding tourism and supporting small businesses. He pointed to Warrenton’s location, historic downtown and proximity to regional transportation corridors as assets that could be better leveraged.

While Carlos said he plans to release more detailed policy proposals in the coming months, he described his current campaign as focused on setting priorities and rebuilding trust following several years of political infighting.

"Our focus remains on identifying opportunities, addressing challenges in a constructive way and moving the town forward together," he said.

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