Lang, a millionaire and CEO of a wireless communications company, financed first political campaign himself, a 1997 bid for the town council, which he won. Two years later, in 1999, he won the mayor's seat. During his time in Cary politics, he was an outspoken advocate of slower growth for the rapidly-expanding town and infrastructure improvements. Lang was often described as arrogant or combative, and in 2003, he placed third in a bid for a second term as mayor; Lang had chosen to spend only $10 on a re-election campaign.