Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick exulted early today when he claimed a stunning comeback victory that gives him another four years to show Detroiters that he has learned from his mistakes while launching what could become a new political dynasty.
Kilpatrick, 35, used his tremendous personal appeal and a series of impressive public appearances in the wake of civil rights legend Rosa Parks' death Oct. 24 to overcome what had been a 19-point deficit in late September and defeat challenger Freman Hendrix, 55.
A last-minute negative ad blitz against Hendrix and a show of force by supporters at the polls may also have pushed Kilpatrick past Hendrix in a race that was not decided until early this morning.
Kilpatrick claimed victory around 2:30 a.m., leading 53% to 47% with 99% of precincts reporting.
"We had people power," Kilpatrick told supporters at a Renaissance Center ballroom. "Some of y'all just plain crazy, because you had no business standing up...we couldn't win. So some of y'all just plain crazy. And right now, the whole country that's been watching is saying you crazy like a fox."...Detroit Free Press.
Personally I am not a fan of Kwame Kilpatrick, but the guy run a lean, discplined and very well coordinated campaign. One would only hope that the Kwame that showed up during the campaign will overcome the party animal of yester years. Detroit needs a discplined, coordinated and capable leadership to avoid state receivership. If Kwame can work so hard to overcome insourmantable deficit in the polls to win as he did last night then there is hope that he could pull detroit out of the financial mess that it is in.
In the same elections Detroiters got rid of the always controversial city clerk Jackie Currie to elect Janice Winfrey. Currie has been marred by allegations of impropriety. The FBI is still investigating allegations of voter fraud and has a court order to keep the absentee ballots intact until the end of the federal probe into allegations of death people voting in detroit elections.
The Detroit city council has four new members joining its ranks. Monica Conyers, wife of Congressman John Conyers is one of the new faces gracing the city council.