John Cooper leads David Briley as two head to September runoff battle in Nashville mayoral race
Now, it’s a sprint to September.
At-large Metro Council member John Cooper finished as the top candidate in Thursday’s election, ending the day with a nearly 10-point advantage over incumbent Mayor David Briley.
The strong showing gives Cooper a distinct edge as he takes Briley to a Sept. 12 runoff and in the aftermath of the vote, both candidates have started the work to build new coalitions and shape the narrative for the weeks ahead.
Big cheers broke out at Cooper's election night watch party at the Elks Lodge in North Nashville as the first results came in with a lead he held all night. Supporters danced to "Brick House" and drank as they waited for Cooper to speak.
Sporting a no-tie look and kicking off his remarks by snapping a photo of his crowd with his phone, Cooper thanked his rivals and Briley for his leadership during a "disruptive time" for Nashville.
"I want to earn your vote and trust," Cooper said. "And we want a town where educator pay and police and firefighter pay come first. And infrastructure in your backyard comes first. That is what is progressive and what effective progressivism means."
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/08/01/nashville-mayor-election-results-who-won/1843453001/