May 26, 2003

San Antonio Mayor Wins Re-Election in Landslide

Incumbent San Antonio Mayor Ed Garza easily won his re-election race on Saturday, May 3 despite a low-turnout, carrying him to serve a third term. With 99 percent of the vote counted, Garza, a former city councilman defeated his two challengers by garnering 68 percent of the vote.

Garza's agenda for San Antonio focuses on economic, urban and human development policies that build on the region's existing assets, including leveraging strengths in defense and homeland security. His top priority is to ensure that San Antonio, long known as "Military City USA," continues to be a defense leader in the 21st century.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Coleen Seng, who has served 16 years on the Lincoln City Council, formally took office as mayor on Monday, May 19. She defeated her opponent Glenn Friendt on May 6 by winning 51 percent of the city vote. Seng is only the second mayoral candidate to finish second in the primary election but then to win the general election.

As mayor, Seng aims to bring about conciliation and consensus. She claims that mending wounds will be her primary challenge as mayor. "We-ve got to get ourselves together and I think I can do that," said Seng. Seng will currently not seek new administrators as she is trying to bring different council members and factions of the city together. Seng intends to improve the infrastructure of Lincoln through the construction of new streets and water lines.

Jacksonville, Florida

John Peyton has become Jacksonville's second Republican mayor since Reconstruction. He defeated Sheriff Nat Garner, with 58 percent of the vote, in the May 14 mayoral elections.

Upon election, Peyton has promised not to raise taxes, wants to make job growth a priority, create the "finest park system in America," fight illiteracy, and improve public safety. He stated, "I think you-re going to see a focus from me, a very serious focus on economic development. I would like that to be my legacy." Along with these economic improvements, Peyton also aims to bring the community together by improving the prevalent racism within Jacksonvilleworking to better race relations.

Las Vegas, Nevada

With an overwhelming majority of 86 percent, Mayor Oscar Goodman won the April 8 mayoral primary election. By obtaining over 50 percent of the vote, he has secured his position as mayor for the scheduled June 11 elections. He has obtained the modern day record for a Las Vegas mayoral race, previously established by former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones in her 1995 primary, who obtained 76 percent. Goodman commented in his State of the City Address in January, "We're on fire here in Las Vegas. Nothing has slowed us down, and nothing will slow us down."