'We made history tonight:' Donna Deegan will be the next mayor of Jacksonville
Tonight, history made in Jacksonville. Donna Deegan becoming the first woman to ever win the city's mayoral race. The Democrats victory comes after months of hard campaigning against her Republican opponent Daniel Davis and we were there. We were the first to call the race I should say shortly before 7 30 this evening here on First Coast News. So let's take a look at the final results. Deegan winning with 52% of the vote more than 8,300 votes ahead of Davis and tonight we have live team coverage for you. We had crews at the watch parties for both the mayoral candidates and we start tonight with on your side Cheyenne Cole at Deegan's party Cheyenne.
Heather, there's no other way to describe Deegan's party other than it was simply filled with pure elation. The crowd was chanting Donna Donna and even crying tears of joy when, as you said, First Coast News was the first to call the race for her. They're filled with hope for Jacksonville's potential with Donna or Deegan leading the city. Donna Deegan making history Tuesday night as the first female to be elected Jacksonville's mayor. Deegan says the results didn't surprise her after a hard fought race. I'm elated that we had a cross section of people from across the city that came together beyond party affiliation to say that we need change and that that we need a city that focuses on unity and not on division. She's disappointed by low voter turnout, but has a plan to address that.
We're going to bring the people into the process and make them feel like they're a part of it because they are and and and I think that's going to make all the difference in the world. Deegan says her opponent Republican Daniel Davis who ran attack ads about her on local television stations already called her to offer his support as she takes on the new role that he called me a little while ago and said that he was looking forward to working with me that he would do everything he could to make me successful and I believe that I think we have a lot of people who love this city. They just need to be set free to do the things that we need to do. And the first thing Deegan plans to do at City Hall, open up the blinds and let the sunshine and the people in.
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