Free Republic

DALLAS -- In the most expensive mayoral race in Dallas history, wealthy retired businessman Tom Leppert was elected Dallas mayor by a sound margin in Saturday's runoff election to lead the nation's ninth-largest city. Voters chose Leppert -- an admitted outsider to Dallas politics -- over openly gay City Councilman Ed Oakley, a political insider. Capping a swift rise from political unknown to the city's top office, Leppert received about 58 percent of the vote in complete but unofficial results in the runoff, winning by more than 13,000 votes. "I understand the trust and confidence they've placed in me,"...

Leppert elected Dallas mayor Tom and Laura Leppert basked in the cheers of supporters Saturday night at Gilley's. Tom Leppert is Dallas' new mayor, his victory launched from a crime-fighting, business-minded platform and fueled by overwhelming support in the city's northernmost neighborhoods. Mr. Leppert, 53, had never before run for elected office. He's lived within Dallas' city limits for fewer than four years. He rarely visited City Hall. But the retired construction company executive's insistence that a political outsider with farsighted vision is best positioned to address Dallas' docket of needs resonated throughout the city – even in the southern...

DALLAS (Reuters) - An openly gay candidate lost his bid on Saturday to become mayor of Dallas in a race that attracted wide attention because of his sexual orientation. Councilman Ed Oakley lost to businessman Tom Leppert, who took 58 percent of the vote to Oakley's 42 percent, according to official returns. Oakley had the endorsement of the Democratic Party, while Leppert ran a nonpartisan campaign. A victory by Oakley would have made him the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city, according to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, a Washington-based gay rights group. Neither candidate...

Tom Leppert claimed victory in the Dallas mayor runoff Saturday night as opponent Ed Oakley conceded shortly before 10 p.m. Mr. Leppert rocketed to a strong early lead, capturing about 58 percent of early voting ballots, according to unofficial Dallas County election results. In telling his supporters that the election was over, Mr. Oakley said he had spoken with Mr. Leppert and told him he ran a good race and would be a good leader. Describing his own campaign as being the "underdog," Mr. Oakley said, " I can't tell you what it has been like to win races in...