D7: Pool Cruises

(l-r) City Council Member Kathie Tovo, Barbara Rush, Danette Chimenti, Leslie Pool, CM Laura Morrison, and Mayor Pro-Tem Sheryl Cole (Photo by David Brendan Hall)

On a table at La Mancha, amidst a sea of Leslie Pool's supporters, sat a chocolate cake reading "Yea Leslie, District 7 Champion!" in light blue lettering. It was set there before the candidate's victory – before 8:40pm, when the District 7 front-runner received a call from her competitor Jeb Boyt conceding the race – by one of her many vibrant supporters.

"I had to come up with something," said the woman to an acquaintance, "but I didn't want to jinx it."

Her friend looked at her and fired: "How is that not a jinx?"

However, very little could jinx Pool's good fortune on Tuesday evening. The longtime civic leader came into election day with a good deal of momentum, having swept nearly every precinct in D7 during the general election and holding a lead over her run­-off opponent in even the two she lost. By 7pm, when early voting numbers were reported, Pool held a 31.5% lead. An hour later, Boyt's watch party at the Casa Chapala on Burnet Road had already grown subdued.

Conversely, Pool's party was running early on $3 margaritas and reveling in what was soon to be surefire victory. Her supporters were many, and included incumbent Council Members Kathie Tovo, Laura Morrison, and Sheryl Cole. A photo op featuring the three had everybody's cell phone cameras firing.

Pool interrupted a conversation shortly after 8:30pm and slipped outside the restaurant – returning moments later to warm hugs and loud cheers. Boyt had conceded; by that time, total tallies had him down 1,657 votes to 3,200. She'd close out at over 66% of the vote. General election winners – now her Council colleagues – Delia Garza and Ann Kitchen then arrived.

"You all rock," Pool told her crowd. "Here's to Austin. We've almost finished the cake."