Mayors Bring Time-Tested Tools to a New Era of Politics

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt says mayors are the last level of government to retain public trust.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 5:52am

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A cinematic painting of a city hall building or other political setting, with warm sunlight and deep shadows creating a sense of solitude and contemplation.In an era of heightened political division, mayors are finding ways to bring their communities together to address shared challenges.Oklahoma City Today

In a conversation with Governing, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, who is also the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, discusses the unique challenges and powers of mayors in the current political climate. Holt says mayors are the last level of government that people largely trust, and they are able to bring people together across partisan lines to address issues like crime and housing.

Why it matters

Mayors are seen as more pragmatic and bipartisan in their approach to governing compared to state and federal politicians. As trust in higher levels of government declines, mayors have an opportunity to demonstrate effective leadership and problem-solving at the local level.

The details

Holt, a Republican and the first Native American mayor of Oklahoma City, says mayors are incentivized to build coalitions of Republicans, Democrats, and independents rather than cater to the extremes of their party. He notes that mayors across the country, regardless of party, share many of the same challenges and priorities, such as addressing crime and housing. Holt says mayors are increasingly relied upon to do politics in a traditional, compromise-driven way that respects pluralism, in contrast to the divisive rhetoric and partisanship seen at higher levels of government.

  • Holt became the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2026.

The players

David Holt

The Republican mayor of Oklahoma City, who is also the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Holt is the city's first Native American mayor and was elected in 2018 with over 78% of the vote, the most ever for a non-incumbent.

U.S. Conference of Mayors

An organization representing mayors of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The Conference provides a platform for mayors to share best practices and advocate for policies that benefit cities.

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What they’re saying

“I think we're the last level of government that people largely trust. There are a lot of reasons for that. We're closest to the people, and we have to produce results. Everybody at every level of government should produce results, but if we don't produce results, people will die.”

— David Holt, Mayor of Oklahoma City

“We're dealing with so many of the same challenges and we just want to do what works. We don't really care whether that policy prescription falls neatly into somebody's party platform.”

— David Holt, Mayor of Oklahoma City

The takeaway

In an era of heightened political polarization, mayors are demonstrating a pragmatic, bipartisan approach to governing that focuses on delivering results for their communities. As trust in higher levels of government declines, mayors have an opportunity to showcase effective leadership and problem-solving at the local level.