ELECTION UPDATE: Franklin celebrates Warren victory

WARREN

Doug Franklin won Democratic nomination for Warren mayor Tuesday and gave a joyous acceptance speech, giving credit to his family, God and all of his supporters for the historic victory.

“My heart goes out to each and every one of you. You’ve all done so much,” Franklin said during his party at Enzo’s Restaurant.

Franklin, who would be Warren’s first black mayor, defeated Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Union Local 1112 at the Lordstown General Motors, by a surprisingly wide 57 percent to 43 percent margin. There is no Republican mayoral candidate in November.

Franklin, 54, safety service director under Mayor Michael O’Brien the last 7 1/2 years, gave a special thank you to O’Brien, as well as the small boy who starred in a local Franklin television commercial.

Hundreds enjoyed the moment, including Bob Faulkner, a Warren Board of Education member, who said the victory is historic, not because Franklin is black but because his race didn’t matter — only his character.

Franklin dismissed race as an issue in the race in an interview with The Vindicator, and it was never openly discussed during the campaign.

Graham, meanwhile, said he was disappointed in the outcome.

He said the results indicate that residents “liked the way the city was run for the last eight years, and I wish Doug good luck.”

Graham had focused his campaign on his confidence that he could restore a sense of pride to the once-mighty industrial city, citing the success of union and management at GM Lordstown to secure a new product for the plant — the Chevrolet Cruze.

Graham, 63, who had never run for political office before, said this may be his only attempt.