Mitch Colvin Wins Re-Election as Fayetteville Mayor
Mitch Colvin successfully secured reelection on Tuesday night, defeating Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen and achieving his fifth term in office, as per the unofficial results from the Cumberland County Board of Elections.
"I give all credit to God where it was deserved, but I thank the people of Fayetteville, and what it says is that, you know, over the last several months, we made a strong case that, you know, stable and proven leadership is important in times like this, and so the fact that so many people participated in the process of voting, I'm encouraged by that," Colvin said.
Colvin has the distinction of being the longest-serving Black mayor in the city's history, having first assumed the mayoral role in 2017.
As indicated by the unofficial results, Colvin garnered 12,515 votes (60.04%), while Jensen received 7,908 votes (37.94%). Additionally, write-in candidates collectively accounted for 420 votes, which is 2.02%.
"This is a community that I love. I was born and raised here, and I had made a decision what was best for me at the time of what I thought, that it was time to step away, but I know that our community, you know, needed stable continuity in its leadership, and I wouldn't have forgiven myself if that transition didn't take place, and so I wanted to play my part," Colvin said. "So, I wanted to leave this on the decision of the voters. Tonight, they spoke loud and clear, and I'm here for it; 100% for the next two years."
Keefe Jensen, his rival, also shared his thoughts on the election outcomes.
"While tonight's result is not what we hoped for, I am deeply proud of the campaign we ran together," Keefe Jensen said in a statement. "We built this race on integrity, trust, and experience - and I'm grateful for everyone who shared that vision for Fayetteville's future. I extend my sincere respect to Mayor Colvin for his continued service and leadership, and I look forward to working together for the good of our city. I love Fayetteville and will continue to serve our community in new and exciting ways going forward."