In the Dallas run-off election for mayor on Saturday, Tom Leppert took 58 percent of the vote to Ed Oakley's 42 percent. A win for Oakley would have made him the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city.
The Dallas Morning News reports: “During the runoff, Mr. Oakley sought to portray Mr. Leppert as an unscrupulous corporate baron in a series of campaign commercials and mailers. But the charges barely affected voters' image of Mr. Leppert as a God-fearing family man reared without privilege by a loving single mother.”
Oakley conceded while holding back tears, according to the paper (video): “I told Tom he won a great race. Tom will be a good leader. There are nine other people who would have loved to have a chance to do a runoff. I have enjoyed immensely the Dallas City Council,” Mr. Oakley continued. “We really have set the city on a path to greatness. I truly, truly have enjoyed the ride.”
