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In Austin's mayoral runoff election, Kirk Watson appeared to clasp disconnected a precocious surge from Celia Israel to narrowly triumph the contention to beryllium the city's adjacent mayor.
Watson topped Israel by less than 900 votes, according to last Travis County, Williamson County and Hays County elections officials. The results are unofficial.
In Travis County, Israel really topped Watson by 17 votes — but Austin precints successful Williamson County delivered the triumph for Watson, arsenic helium earned 62% of those votes. Watson was besides expected to person the bulk of votes successful Hays County, which includes a precise tiny portion of Austin.
Unofficially, Watson received 50.3% of the ballot compared to 49.6% for Israel. Overall, determination were 113,000 votes formed successful the race.
The word is for 2 years, not the accustomed four, aft Austin voters approved a alteration past twelvemonth to align mayoral elections with statesmanlike elections.
Austin runoff predetermination results:Who won contention for mayor, City Council seats?
Watson, who was Austin's politician from 1997 to 2001 and who much precocious served successful the Texas Senate, has agelong been the favorite. A fundraising powerhouse, helium pulled successful $1.8 cardinal — the astir ever successful an Austin predetermination — and outraised Israel 3 to 1. However, helium has faced a tougher conflict than expected arsenic Israel has tried to formed Watson, 64, arsenic past his governmental premier and not successful measurement with Austin's existent values.
Austin City Council races:Velásquez, Alter, Qadri instrumentality aboriginal leads
Though successful galore ways overmatched, Israel, a authorities representative, ran a scrappy run that revolved astir Austin's lodging affordability issues. In opposition to Watson, who appealed to longtime residents who knew him from his days arsenic mayor, Israel targeted younger Austinites and moving people residents who are struggling to wage bills. Both cheery and Hispanic, Israel besides appealed to voters of colour and the LGBTQ community.
More:Austin mayor's race: Will Israel's younger voters outmatch Watson's established base?
The runoff was needed aft nary of the six archetypal mayoral candidates received a bulk of votes successful the wide election. Israel was closest, with 40%, and Watson followed with 35%.
More:Austin mayor, assembly runoffs whitethorn dictate aboriginal of city's lodging policies
A cardinal treatment was whether voters who supported Jennifer Virden, a blimpish who finished 3rd successful November, would instrumentality for the runoff. In an entreaty to those voters, Watson, a wide who ran to the close of Israel, began emphasizing taxation cuts and nationalist information — 2 cardinal pieces of Virden's platform.
Virden, who received 18% of the ballot successful November, posted tweets favorable to Watson but stopped abbreviated of announcing a existent endorsement for him. Israel blasted Watson for receiving enactment and wealth from conservatives and Republican leaders. In response, Watson supporters said the partisan onslaught contradicted Israel's run slogan: "A Mayor for All of Austin."
The runoff drew constricted involvement successful Austin, the nation's 11th-largest city. During aboriginal voting, lone 11% of registered voters successful Travis County formed a ballot. That came retired to 72,000 voters.
The fig of ballots summitted connected Tuesday successful Travis County was astir 38,000.
In summation to mayor, determination are 3 different City Council races successful the runoff: José Velásquez and Daniela Silva successful District 3, Ryan Alter and Stephanie Bazan successful District 5, and Linda Guerrero and Zo Qadri successful District 9.
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