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Mayor Hicks-Hudson Places First in September Primary

Sojourner’s Truth Staff

Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson surprised a number of observers with her strong first-place finish in the September 12 primary for a full four-year term for mayor. She garnered almost 39 percent of the vote in her race against two well-known opponents – Lucas County Treasury Wade Kapszukiewicz and Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski. Kapszukiewicz, a Democrat, earned 33.54 percent of the vote to move on to the general election in November. Republican Waniewski finished with 26.75 percent and is out of the running.
 

Hicks-Hudson, who had been president of Toledo City Council representing District 4, ascended to her current position upon the death of former Mayor D. Michael Collins in early 2015. She won the right to complete that term in a special election in November 2015.

Two months ago, the prospect of Hicks-Hudson finishing in the top two seemed distant to a variety of insiders, said one Democratic elected official. The work of local unions, particularly the UAW, helped push the mayor’s totals over the top of her two opponents, the official told The Truth.

Of primary concern to the mayor’s campaign as the race moves into October, is where Waniewski’s mostly white, Republican voters will land on Election Day.

However, the election enters a brand new phase now that the primary is over. A total of 24,894 votes were cast in the mayoral primary and, if past election totals are any indication, twice that number of votes will be cast in the two-person general election.

In the Toledo City Council contest, the primary featured 13 candidates vying for 12 general election ballot spots. The filed of 12 aspirants for at-large seats on Council will be narrowed to six in November. Only candidate Tom Names was eliminated in the primary – he earned a scant 2.83 percent of the total.

Finishing in the two top positions – as expected – were the incumbent council members Sandy Spang, an independent, at number one, and Republican Rob Ludeman. Finishing next were the two endorsed Democratic incumbents, Larry Sykes and Cecelia Adams, PhD. Sykes is running for a second term; Adams, who was appointed to council in April 2015 upon the death of Jack Ford, is running for a full four-year term. Sykes and Adams both finished with slightly more than 10 percent of the vote.

Harvey Savage, an unendorsed Democrat, and Gary Johnson, endorsed Democratic candidate rounded out the top six vote getters, each with over eight percent of the total. Savage is the executive director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Kitchen for the Poor. Johnson, the owner of American Flooring Installers, is a long-time Democratic operative. Both are first-time candidates. All four Democratic candidates in the top six are African American.

Three endorsed Democratic candidates – Nick Komives, Sam Melden and City Councilman Kurt Young – finished seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively. Komives is the executive director of Equality Toledo – an organization focused on ensuring equal rights for the LGBTQ community. Melden is director of growth and advancement for Leadership Toledo and Young, an attorney and Old West End activist, was appointed to City Council upon the resignation of Theresa Gabriel.

Endorsed Republicans, Patricia Robinson and Alphonso Narvaez, and unendorsed Democrat Clyde Phillips finished, 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively.

The general election is scheduled for November 7 and early voting begins on Wednesday, October 11 at the Early Voting Center, 1301 Monroe Street.

   
   


Copyright © 2017 by [The Sojourner's Truth]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 08/16/18 14:12:35 -0700.


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