Mary Ann Ahern takes us through upsets in the suburbs and the winner of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
Former Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham will return to City Hall after he apparently defeated incumbent Mayor Ann Taylor in Tuesday’s election.
In the four-way race, Cunningham earned 47% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Lake County Clerk’s Office. He was ahead of Taylor by just over 800 votes, with independent candidate Keith Turner and Republican Harold Beadling trailing.
Cunningham was elected as the city’s first Black mayor in 2017, but was defeated after one term by Taylor, who captured 55.6% of the vote in the 2021 election.
Prior to serving as mayor, Cunningham worked as an insurance agent and police officer, and was elected to the Waukegan village board in 1999.
Taylor conceded defeat in the race in a statement Tuesday night.
“During my time in office, we worked hard to restore transparency and integrity in local government, improve public safety, invest in infrastructure, and ensure fiscal responsibility,” she said. “These efforts have strengthened the foundation of our city and created opportunities for a brighter future. I am grateful to the people of Waukegan for trusting me to serve as your mayor. Together, we’ve shown what is possible when we focus on building a better city for everyone.”
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