Gorton cruised to victory, more than doubling the vote count of her challenger David Kloiber. The returning mayor said she believes the voters showed they’re confident in her ability to lead.
"I think it is a reflection of my leadership, quite honestly. People know how I led through the pandemic, through the racial issues, and the economic whirlwind."Mayor Linda Gorton
Gorton said her focus will remain on safety, quality of life, domestic violence, and mental health issues – along with the push for a new city hall and preparation for the city’s 250th birthday celebration.
While the vote was lopsided, the race proved to be one of the most heated of Gorton’s career – with Kloiber taking aim at her handling of crime and affordable housing. The challenger hinted that he intends to keep pressing for change.
"At the end of the day, I had a vision for Lexington. We talked with a lot of people, these problems are still here, but you know what — she's the incumbent, she's been here, people know her, they trust her. It's going to take a little while longer for us to build that trust, but we're not going anywhere," Kloiber said.
Meanwhile, Gorton will have new council members to work with, including newcomer Vice Mayor Dan Wu.
