At 10 p.m., as results started pouring in for Clarke County precincts, followed by enthusiasm from progressives in attendance.
“When I say Mayor, you say Girtz!” called out District Commission Jessie Houle for the audience to respond.
At 45.8% of precincts reporting, incumbent Mayor Kelly Girtz held a strong lead over his opponents with 62% of the vote. Mara Zuniga held 24%. By 11 p.m., the Girtz campaign had called the race with 59% of the vote at just over 90% of precincts reporting.
“Teamwork is not done alone, and campaigns are also not done,” Girtz said during his victory speech. “What we are doing here, at its core, is setting up a strong foundation, an unassailable foundation, to support human beings in better lives.”
“The only way we’re going to make it to the next chapter … is to engage, and discuss, and dialogue with one another,” Girtz said.
Girtz also touched on homelessness and affordable housing, safe transportation, and equity during his victory speech.
“Four more years!” chanted attendees after the speech.
Other candidates supported by the Democratic party couldn’t hold as strong a lead, such as Matt Pulver for District 5, a race with three candidates total. Pulver said he ran a “good, clean campaign,” though it put him at just over 27% of the vote with 80% of precincts reporting, less than his opponent Dexter Fisher but slightly ahead of Jared Bailey. On other races, Pulver said he was “a little disappointed” by the results in the District 7 race, which went to Republican-backed John Culpepper.
For the District 3 race, on the other hand, Pulver said he’s “super excited” about candidate Tiffany Taylor’s win, a sentiment echoed by other progressives in attendance.
District 1 Commissioner Patrick Davenport held an 18% lead over his opponent — Audrey Hughs — as the night ended, declaring himself the unofficial winner.
“I didn’t knock on as many doors as my opponent … but thanks to the Democratic party, thanks to the great people of Athens-Clarke County, y'all got to stick with me for four more years,” Davenport said to attendees.
Considering the results, District Commission Jesse Houle was enthusiastic about the future of the mayor and commission.
“We can't win everything, but I do believe that all the folks that we've supported have run campaigns that talked about things and pushed for issues and functioned in ways that would not have happened, had they not run,” Houle said. “And that has a transformative ripple effect.”
“Who's excited about some democrats winning some local elections?” said Denson to the crowd.
