By George Nelson

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Pulling off a stunning upset, independent Jay Williams handily defeated Democratic nominee Robert Hagan to be the next mayor of Youngstown, the first black elected to that office in the city’s history.

Williams, a former banker who earlier this year resigned as director of the city’s Community Development Agency to mount his campaign, captured 10,365 votes Tuesday, or 52.01% of the vote, to 7,939 for Hagan, or 39.84%, according to unofficial results from the Mahoning County Board of Elections.

The margin -- a landslide in a six-person race -- stunned supporters of both candidates and political pundits who expected a much closer race, particularly given Hagan‘s name recognition and his 18 years serving first in the Ohio Legislature.  Williams’ vote totals in predominantly white precincts also defied conventional wisdom that cast the race in racial terms.

Maggy Lorenzi, another independent, finished third with 1,011 votes or 5.07% of the total, followed by Republican nominee Robert Korchnak, with 261 votes, or 1.31%, independent Brendan Gilmartin with 201 votes (1.01%) and Joe Louis Teague with 152 votes (.76%).

The mood was ecstatic at the Youngstown Convocation Center, where a few hundred Williams supporters had gathered to await the results. By 8:30 p.m. vote totals from all but one precinct showed Williams with an insurmountable 12-point lead.

“We started this race with a true belief that we could do something special, not because I was the ideal candidate but because I felt the people of this community were truly ready for change. I simply want to be a part of bringing about that change,” Williams told those gathered at the arena.  “The change is only going to come if all of us work together. …The campaign is over, the politics is over, and the votes have been counted. It’s time to set aside those differences.”

Williams said, there will still be high unemployment, crime and other problems plaguing the city’s neighborhoods when he takes office in January.  He would make mistakes but vowed to learn from them.  “It is my intention that in four years this city will be measurably better off,” he pledged.

After “taking a breather for a few days,” Williams told reporters he will work on drafting a cabinet and making plans for the transitional period.  “We’re going to do business a little bit differently in terms of expectations and accountability, and maybe my management style will be a little bit different than some of the mayors of the past,” he said. “The first thing is we should start sending a different message for City Hall in terms of leadership and the way we go about doing things. … I’ve said this is not about the status quo so I think one of the first priorities is to adjust the mentality and the thinking that goes on in City Hall.”  He could not say as yet what staff changes may take place once he takes office.

Thomas Humphries, president of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, said he was pleased with the outcome of the race, observing that Williams is “the same caliber” of young leader as U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles.  “Williams has the energy and the enthusiasm and the focus that we need at this point in time in the city,” he said.

The Rev. Jay Alford, retired pastor of Highway Tabernacle Church in Austintown, said he was not surprised at Williams’ victory.  Alford, who led the coalition of area ministers that last week endorsed Williams, said support for Williams had accelerated in recent weeks.  “We’ve been saying for several years now that before Youngstown experiences an economic recovery we had to have a spiritual renewal, and we believe this is one of those steps toward spiritual renewal that will result in economic recovery for our city,” Alford said.

State Sen. Marc Dann of Liberty, who supported Hagan’s campaign, said at the Williams celebration that while he was disappointed he was proud of the race that both candidates ran.  “It was a race worthy of the city of Youngstown,” he remarked.

A few blocks away from the victory celebration, Hagan’s supporters gathered at his campaign headquarters to console each other over food and drinks.

Hagan, who has just over a year left in his Senate term and cannot run for re-election, said he told Williams when he called to concede the race that he would do everything that he could to help improve the city.  “I’m surprised and disappointed as anyone would be that has been in public life as long as I have, but I think that there were some extenuating circumstances,” he reflected.

In particular, Hagan cited a stream of negative stories in The Vindicator and other news organizations, as well as negative ads by political advocacy groups, including ones that he contended distorted his record and positions.  One flier circulated last week claimed he introduced a bill supporting the legalization of marijuana, without clarifying that Hagan’s bill specifically dealt with medical marijuana.

Hagan also said that the ministers’ involvement was “a step in the wrong direction.”  He was particularly critical of Alford, “one of the weakest links in the religious world as far as making a better place,” adding that when working to defeat a casino gambling initiative he promised to created 5,000 jobs “and created none.”

However, Hagan said he was pleased to see that Williams has “crossover appeal,” attracting votes from blacks and whites.  “I was more concerned about the racial divide in this race than anything and I think that he proved that is not the case,” he observed.  “A lot of individuals decided that it was important to forget about that and vote on the candidates and what they were saying, and what I was saying is not what they wanted to hear -- apparently what he was saying was what they wanted to hear.”

Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairwoman Lisa Antonini said she would not change anything the party did, noting that this mayoral campaign was “unlike any other race we’ve run” citywide or countywide.  “Jay ran a hard, strong race and did what he had to do by turning this into another Democratic primary and was successful in doing that.”

Antonini said she hopes Williams, who describes himself as a lifelong Democrat, “will embrace the Democratic principles that made this city strong and embrace working families and the elderly and the sick and the poor, and work hard to strengthen our city.”

Antonini noted that Williams drew substantial support from Republicans and third-party groups with an eye on statewide races in 2006 “to assist the Republican Party in maintaining control of the state of Ohio” and even looking ahead to the 2008 presidential election.  But she predicted that local Democrats, including those who voted for Williams, will not ignore “the Republican corruption and the scandal that’s going on in Columbus and in Washington” and will work hard for the Democratic ticket next year.

Sitting with Hagan supporters at the Bean Counter next door to the candidate’s headquarters, Sarah Lown, who described Williams as “a friend and valued colleague” who he has done great things for the city’s 2010 initiative, said she hopes the racial divide in Youngstown and Mahoning County now can be overcome.  Lown is director of economic development for the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments.

State Rep. John Boccieri of New Middletown said both candidates ran good grassroots campaigns but “at the end of the day it was Jay’s message that resonated with voters.”  Boccieri said he knew Hagan was possibly in trouble when he saw the absentee ballot results, which showed Williams with 46.35% of the vote versus 44.44% for Hagan.  “Usually those are the first indication,” he said."

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