May 12, 2003

New Austin Mayor Wynn Escapes Run-Off

Austin, Texas — Austin residents elected Mayor-elect Will Wynn with 58 percent of the vote on Saturday May 3. Wynn, a former city council member, took more than 60 percent of the vote in the central city neighborhoods that helped strengthen the environmental majority on the council for almost 10 years. He also carried other neighborhoods along Austin's U.S. 183 highway that tend to vote more conservatively.

All of the candidates claimed that Wynn's extensive campaign operation, generous support from Austin's political establishment and huge fund-raising edge helped decide the election. Wynn made a name for himself after restoring downtown buildings and has always had the support of central city environmentalists and neighborhood activists.

El Paso Businessman Beats Incumbent

El Paso, TX — First-time political candidate Joe Wardy celebrated his victory as new mayor of El Paso May 3 after defeating incumbent Mayor Raymond Caballero with 63 percent of the vote. Wardy, a businessman said, "We ran a really good campaign and had tremendous support from so many people. This was a grass-roots campaign and it was about the people."

Wardy said among his goals was to generate sustainable economic development. He raised more than $300,000 for his El Paso mayoral campaign and will take office on June 10.

Dallas Mayor Miller Re-elected

Dallas, TX — Laura Miller, a former councilwoman and journalist, was originally elected to fill 14 months remaining in former Mayor Ron Kirk's term as Kirk resigned and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate last year. At that time she pushed an aggressive agenda that included passing a panhandling ban, a gay rights ordinance, a smoking ban, and changes to the Trinity River Corridor project that many council members seemed to embrace.

Saturday May 3, Miller received 56 percent of the votes, defeating Councilwoman Mary Poss, who garnered about 40 percent of the votes.

Among Millers priorities, she intends to begin her term by meeting with employees from each city department next week to discuss the budget and to exchange ideas about how to overcome a possible $50 million shortfall for next year.

Former State Senator Fills Ft. Worth Mayoral Seat

Ft. Worth, Texas — May 3, Ft. Worth voters elected former State Senator Mike Moncrief to replace outgoing Mayor Kenneth Barr.

Overall, in a race with seven candidates, he took 61 percent of the vote to former City Councilwoman Cathy Hirt's 35 percent. Moncrief won the majority of votes in areas Hirt used to represent — 61 percent in the Ryan Place neighborhood and 62 percent in the nearby Mistletoe Heights.

He also won most of his votes in areas with the highest voter turnout and where African-American and Hispanic voters are the majority, according to final, unofficial election returns.

Moncrief said he plans to meet with every council member in the coming weeks to discuss crucial city issues. And once sworn in, he wants to talk to city staff members and determine their concerns He also said he'll be watching what the council does about trash concerns, and then determine whether he'll need to revisit the issue when he takes office.

Outsider Leads Denver Mayor Race to Run-Offs

Denver, CO — John Hickenlooper, a brew pub owner confronted several veteran politicians and six other candidates in the race for mayor last week after increasing his support, despite attacks accusing him of being an outsider.

Hickenlooper and city auditor Don Mares were at the top of the polls heading into the nonpartisan election to succeed Wellington Webb, the city's first black mayor who can-t seek a forth term because of term limits.

Hickenlooper took 43 percent of the vote and City Auditor Don Mares came in second place with 23 percent. A candidate needed more than 50 percent of the vote to win and prevent a run-off. The top two contenders will now advance to a June 3 runoff.