Kate Gallego Declares Victory in Phoenix Mayoral Election
Former city council member Kate Gallego declared victory in Tuesday's runoff election for Phoenix Mayor after early returns came in at about 8:15 p.m.
In an apparent blowout, it looks like Gallego will be the second woman voted to the city’s top seat in nearly 140 years.
With 123,967 ballots counted, Gallego had captured nearly 59 percent of votes, giving her a 17-point lead. That put her opponent, former city council member Daniel Valenzuela, at 41.33 percent. Valenzuela, a Glendale firefighter, would have been Phoenix's first Latino mayor.
Thronged by staffers and supporters at her victory party at Crescent Ballroom, Gallego cast her victory as a win for her values.
"We fought for inclusivity, we fought for innovation, we fought for a sustainable city, and the voters responded," she said to a full hose.
Gallego took a moment to thank Valenzuela and give a nod to his supporters, saying, "I am going to be a mayor for everyone."
Still, she managed to sneak in a dig at outside "dark money" groups who smeared her as the election became more tense this month. "We overcame doubters, rain," she said. "We overcame dark money and a lot of it."
https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/kate-gallego-wins-phoenix-mayoral-election-early-returns-11239937
