A quick glance through the precinct returns show some surprises here and there, plus a quick conclusion: Brewster McCracken would do well to concede on a positive note rather than waste any more time and money on an election he can’t win. He didn’t fare as well as expected in Northwest Austin boxes, what with Carole Strayhorn cutting into his base and all, and Lee Leffingwell even edged him out of a victory in some spots McCracken had hoped to conquer. The precincts McCracken took handily aren’t the precincts that turn out for runoff elections.
This election recalls a similar situation in the 1997 mayor’s race, when Kirk Watson failed to capture the vote outright and moved into a runoff against former Council Member Ronney Reynolds (the “business candidate”), who came in just under 40% to Watson’s 48%. Reynolds saw the writing on the wall and in short order conceded the race to Watson.
This article appears in May 8 • 2009.
