by Alan Lange
What a finish.
I know one person who predicted this finish according to his computer models and even he didn’t believe it.
I can’t describe the feeling at the Melton Party. I have lived in Jackson for all of my 33 years and I have seen nothing like it. My hope is that it was a microcosm for Jackson coming together as one.
I spoke with Bert Case early on and the writing was on the wall from the first 15-20% of the votes tallied. Melton carried it all the way. WLBT called it by 9:00 p.m. It will be interesting to see the tallies by precinct, but Melton carried the city even without Ward 1, which even the most seasoned of local observers thought he needed to carry him to victory.
63% is a mandate . . . a blowout . . . at least on the Democratic side. All sights now turn to Rick Whitlow who must now come to the table against a pretty hardened coalition. It will be interesting to see how Johnson rallies around Melton to throw him his support.
Final tallies should have it in the 42-43K vote range.
