Andre Dickens, a councilman, defeats Moore in the Atlanta mayor’s campaign.
Andre Dickens, a member of Atlanta’s City Council, won a runoff election Tuesday to become the city’s next mayor, riding a wave of support that propelled him over Felicia Moore, the council’s current president, after placing second to her in November.
Dickens won a race driven by concerns about growing violent crime in the city, claiming that he would be more successful than Moore, who had spent her 20 years on the City Council as a sometimes-lonely critic of past mayors. Moore had been the clear favourite among 14 candidates in a nonpartisan election in the first round of voting on Nov. 2.
When Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms declared in May that she would not seek re-election, she launched a wide-open succession fight.
Dickens, a 47-year-old Atlanta native and trained engineer, joined the council in 2013. He said that his diverse background will enable him to solve crime and other municipal concerns like as affordable housing and expanding opportunities for low-income individuals. Other campaign topics were improving the city’s ailing services and preventing the rich Buckhead area from seceding.
“We voted for development and a problem solver, for a bridge builder, for change,” Dickens said during his victory address to a throng of hundreds on Tuesday night. “And this task will begin immediately. We can’t keep putting off dealing with these problems much longer.”
Dickens came from behind to finish second and qualify for the runoff on Nov. 2, halting the comeback effort of two-term former Mayor Kasim Reed, who finished third. Bottoms, U.S. Rep. and Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Nikema Williams, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and Sharon Gay, an attorney who placed fourth in the Nov. 2 election, all endorsed her in the runoff.
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“I draw circles, not lines,” Dickens said. “And the circle became rather huge tonight.”
Atlanta, like many other cities around the nation, has seen an increase in homicides. According to Atlanta police statistics, murders increased 10% over the same time last year and 57% over the same period this year. Several of the assassinations drew considerable notice.
Dickens has promised to increase the number of police officers on the street, arrest gang leaders, and institute community policing. He said he could maintain current Police Chief Rodney Bryant, who came out of retirement in 2020 after a former chief stepped down in the aftermath of a deadly police shooting of a Black man, which sparked rioting.
Dickens also wants to enhance infrastructure, provide affordable housing, and guarantee that present people are qualified for high-paying employment. Tuesday night, he recognised the city’s challenges before pivoting to optimism about the city’s capacity to transform.
“Atlanta, as they say, has an impact on everything,” Dickens added. “And it’s past time for us to put that power to work for genuine change.” Atlanta must demonstrate to the rest of the world that it is a leader in public safety, criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and the elimination of inequity.”
In her concession statement, Moore, 60, called for togetherness, saying there is no difference between her followers and Dickens’ because “we’re all camp Atlanta.”
“We have to be called to do what we wanted everyone else to do, which is bring this community together,” Moore said, urging Buckhead residents to work with Dickens and reject secession, as well as Dickens to ensure that all groups had access.
On Tuesday at Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, Alexander Dawes, a 25-year-old Black man, claimed he voted for Dickens. According to Dawes, Dickens’ candour — as well as his position on public safety — were major considerations in his choice.
Andre Dickens, a member of Atlanta’s City Council, won a runoff election Tuesday to become the city’s next mayor, riding a wave of support that propelled him over Felicia Moore, the council’s current president, after placing second to her in November.
He claims that putting additional cops on the streets is just half of the issue.
“I believe there are a variety of techniques to dealing with crime,” Dawes stated. “Of course, having cops present in the neighbourhood is crucial, but so is staffing.” It’s critical to re-establish confidence between the police and the public.”
Moore received 60 percent of the vote from Jennifer and Joe Moyers. Jennifer Moyers claimed she was the candidate who put the greatest emphasis on reducing crime.
Some of Moore’s detractors portrayed her as a white voter’s preference, a common technique in a city where white and black voters are separated by money and location. Moore and Dickens are both African-American. Moore scoffed at the idea that her support should be used against her.
Moore emphasised her accomplishments in order to appeal to people seeking change and portray herself as someone who would bring accountability and openness to City Hall. Moore, on the other hand, was represented by Dickens as a sceptic and someone who was unable to collaborate with others.
Dickens is presently employed at TechBridge, a non-profit dedicated to assisting other charity organisations via the use of technology. Dickens also started a programme to train individuals for technology professions in Atlanta, in an attempt to increase access to high-paying employment. He previously headed a family-owned furniture business company that went bankrupt a decade ago, which Dickens attributed to the Great Recession’s consequences.
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source: nbcnews
