Wichita, Kansas is a city of many “number one” titles. Long known as the “Air Capital of the World” due to its history as a major aircraft manufacturer, this title is now not Wichita’s only notable distinction. Since 2023, Wichita has been the first city in Kansas to elect an Asian-American mayor, and the largest city in America that is represented by a Libertarian.

On November 7, 2023, Lily Wu was elected as the 103rd mayor of the most populous city in Kansas. She ran against the incumbent mayor, Democrat Brandon Whipple, among other contestants.

Formerly a longtime Republican, Wu changed her voter affiliation to Libertarian in 2022. Despite the massive win Wu’s victory represents to the party, Tim Giblin, chair of the Libertarian Party of Kansas, questions her partisanship. He notes that she has “avoided” contact with the party. “We will be watching closely and loudly,” he concludes. The Libertarian Party does not recognize Wu as an official candidate.

In contrast to the Libertarian Party’s attitude, several notable Republicans and right-leaning organizations donated to Wu’s campaign. Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political action group, contributed $120,000. The total amount the campaign received is a record-breaking $400,000.

Wu, a speaker of both Cantonese and Spanish, was born in Antigua, Guatemala, to immigrant parents. At a young age, she and her family immigrated to Wichita in 1993. Thirty years later, in 2023, she announced her candidacy for mayor.

Graduating summa cum laude from Wichita State University with two bachelor’s degrees in international business and integrated marketing communication, Wu proceeded to pursue a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Hong Kong.

Following her graduation, Wu spent twelve years as a reporter for Wichita television stations KAKE and KWCH 12 News. Before running for mayor, Wu resigned from her position at KWCH 12 News. The news station staff outlined her resignation and statement in an article, in which she states that her resignation is “to remove any perceived conflict of interest” between a position as mayor and as an “on-camera personality.” On her website, she refers to this reporting experience as being “Wichita’s storyteller.”

Wu has also been a member or board member of a large number of community outreach organizations, including the Wichita Crime Commission, and Wichita Asian Association, Botanica’s Chinese Garden of Friendship, Diversity Kansas, and Visioneering Wichita, among others.

The first panel of her official website, mayorlily.com, states that she “doesn’t have decades of political experience and has never run or held public office,” but claims this will help her bring a fresh perspective to the table. Her motto is “All for Wichita.”

The position of mayor is for a four-year term, with a limit of two terms. It remains to be seen throughout the rest of Wu’s term, which will end in 2028, what kinds of changes she can bring to Wichita, and whether she can live up to her campaign promises.

Edit history: Added “in 2023” to title