While the nation participated in an historic presidential election by appointing Barack Obama as the first African American as president of the United States, Sacramento voters also made political history.
With 57 percent of the vote, former NBA player and local businessman Kevin Johnson was elected as Sacramento's first African American mayor. With all 319 precincts reporting, Johnson bested his opponent incumbent Mayor Heather Fargo by more than 18,000 votes. At the end of the night, Johnson earned 68,047 votes versus Fargo's 49,686 in this run-off election.
Johnson's key issues included crime, education, economic development, and improving the quality of life in Sacramento.
With a majority of the votes counted, the 42-year-old Johnson was so excited about his new venture that he gave an acceptance speech from Zocalo Restaurant, the midtown eatery where his campaign party were awaiting the results, even before Fargo conceded, according to the Sacramento Bee.
If you are just as anxious to see what Johnson has in store for his mayorship, he offers an outline of the issues he plans to tackle in "Day One: Kevin Johnson's Action Plan for Sacramento."
Mayor-elect Johnson will take office on November 25.
Useful Links: