Linda Gorton started her first speech as Mayor-Elect on a light-hearted note. Gesturing to a group of family, friends and volunteers sharing the spotlight with her on stage Gorton cracked a joke
The crowd laughed loudly as she said "you didn't know that when you volunteered you'd be rolling up your sleeves for four more years.....Surprise!"
It was a good night at the candidate's watch party in downtown Lexington. Gorton won about 63 percent of the vote, beating former Lexington Police Chief Ronnie Bastin.
She and her supporters gathered at the old Fayette County Courthouse. The word of the win came before 8
p.m. The former vice mayor said the margin of victory was unexpected.
"I really thought it would be much closer," she said, just minutes after the race was called.
Gorton later told the crowd that she had received a concession call from her opponent, who promised to
support her in her new office.
Gorton praised the grassroots effort that carried her to victory. "They worked their hearts out and most of them were volunteers. We had a very, very strong grassroots campaign. It was wonderful."