Welcome!
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my campaign for re-election as Newport City Commissioner. I value your time, so I’ll keep it straightforward. I am fourth on the ballot, and I hope I can earn one of your four votes this November. I appreciate your support and for the opportunity to serve the residents of Newport. Together, we can continue building a stronger, safer, and more vibrant city for everyone.
— Mike Radwanski
Candidate for Newport City Commissioner
Campaign News - Why I'm running for re-election - Link NKY Article
If re-elected, I will continue to focus on the priorities that matter most to our community:
- Working for all residents, whether you’ve lived here your entire life or recently made Newport your home. If you’re new to our city, welcome! I’m glad you’ve chosen to be part of our community.
- Ensuring our Public Works employees and first responders have the equipment and resources they need to keep residents safe.
- Supporting the completion of James Taylor Park and Festival Park through partnerships and funding opportunities with our state legislators.
- Creating a volunteer portal that makes it easier for residents to find meaningful ways to give back and get involved.
- Supporting the development of a Bourbon Tourism Center to strengthen economic development and increase Newport’s self-reliance.
- Advocating for pedestrian and cyclist safety by pursuing roadway improvements and funding opportunities through partnerships with other organizations.
My Record
Accomplishments Since Joining the Commission
- Passed legislation creating the Buena Vista Historic District with practical, reasonable guidelines. This effort later led to the creation of a grant program in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and ReNewport.
- Helped bring back the Wheels on Monmouth Car Show and worked with city staff to establish a sustainable funding model that allows the event to cover its operating costs.
- Served as an early advocate for the Newport Entertainment District (NED) and community-building events such as pub crawls that support local businesses and bring residents together.
- Supported bringing Kroger to West Newport, expanding access to walkable grocery shopping and providing an additional option for residents.
- Recognized long-standing businesses and community organizations through proclamations and public recognition.
- Led by example through volunteer service and personal contributions supporting community events such as Garden Walk, Italianfest, the Wheels on Monmouth Car Show, and the Mammoth Arts & Music Festival.
- Prioritized infrastructure investments by supporting the city’s acquisition of the Purple People Bridge and working with state legislators to secure $2 million in funding.
AI and Local Politics
A recipe for lost connection:
Local non-partisan politics has always been about people. Not algorithms. Not graphics that misrepresent the candidate. Not background images filled with buildings that don’t exist in our communities.
AI can produce a campaign statement in seconds, graphics for a yard sign and draft bullet points for a door hanger. AI has never walked through our neighborhoods or business districts. It has never door to door canvassed. It hasn’t listened to a frustrated constituent. On occasion, it hasn’t been in a position to get yelled at by someone who is just having a bad day.
When candidates rely too heavily on AI-generated messaging and images, they risk replacing their authentic voices with something generic, cheap, and disconnected from reality. The result can be a campaign that looks impressive on a screen but offers little insight into the actual human behind it.
Many of our communities are walkable. I can personally share that canvassing Newport as a candidate in every campaign year I’ve ran for city commission is achievable with enough planning and time. I’m confident many other local candidates in our region can claim the same.
Residents should be able to approach candidates at a neighborhood gathering, a local restaurant, or while at the grocery store and have a meaningful face to face conversation. They should hear the candidate’s own thoughts, understand their reasoning, and occasionally witness the imperfections that make us all human.
A candidate who hides behind a keyboard and relies on social media to communicate with potential voters poses a real threat. Is it the candidate responding? Or is it a well crafted AI response? That distinction matters because governing requires more than delivering a well crafted written response. It requires empathy, experience, judgment, conviction and the ability to articulately respond in spoken word.
A Final Thought
Northern Kentucky has a rich history built by people who showed up, spoke their minds, challenged one another, and worked together to move our communities forward. They did all of that together in face to face interactions.
As we go into Election Day ask yourself these questions. Have you ever met the candidate in person? Have you seen them canvassing this year? Do the images online of them represent what they actually look like in person? If you saw them in public and had a question, would you feel at ease approaching them? Last but not least, would you feel comfortable disagreeing with them on idea they might have in a face to face interaction?
Regardless of who you vote for, let’s keep authentic humans as our local representatives.
Ideals
Tried, Tested, and True
- Champion safe transportation options for seniors, cyclists, and pedestrians.
- Continue to bring the community together with events big and small.
- Ensure safe and secure neighborhoods from Basin to Hill.
- Reinforce strong and vibrant neighborhoods.
- Remain an advocate to improve our parks via grant and State funding sources.
- Back our small businesses and the creation of jobs throughout our city.
- Maintain fiscal responsibility.
Experience
- Over 20 years of resolving problems from the shop floor to the boardroom for companies like Honeywell, Johnson Controls and GE Aerospace.
- Certified Master of Municipal Governance from the Kentucky League of Cities.
- Served on citizen and neighborhood committees and boards prior to holding public office.
- Represent you best by having perfect in-person attendance at all City Commission meetings.
Bio & Background
Commissioner Radwanski started his service in January of 2023. A Metro Detroit native, Mike graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit with a Bachelors’ in Technical Skills & Interdisciplinary Studies. He began his career as a sub-contractor for GE Aviation before being hired and spending 12 years working on high-temperature composites with increasing responsibilities. Mike holds nine U.S. Patents as well as an acclaimed Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mike worked remotely for Honeywell and later Johnson Controls as a Continuous Improvement Professional. In April of 2023, Mike rejoined GE in their Aerospace division as an Engineering Operations Leader within their Defense and Systems organization.
Mike moved to Newport in 2012. He quickly became involved in the East Row Historic Foundation by serving as Gateway Neighborhood Representative, which provided an opportunity to attend Board of Commissioner meetings. This paved the way for Mike’s service on the 2020 Comprehensive Plan and Riverfront Parks Steering Committees, followed by service on Newport’s Code Enforcement board.
In 2025, Commissioner Radwanski obtained his Level III Master in Municipal Governance certification through the Kentucky League of Cities. He has already started to obtain credit hours for his Certified Municipal Officer training through KLC.
Outside of work and City service, Mike is an avid homebrewer and has won many homebrewing medals. He also enjoys restoring and improving his vintage home, though admitting it’s a seemingly endless task. Mike’s parents also purchased a home in Newport in 2017. In 2025, they became full-time residents.
Support
Email to request a yard sign, volunteer, or click here to donate!
