Brown takes a new office

Willie Brown wants people to stop calling him Mr. Speaker and address him as "Da Mayor."

Late Tuesday night Brown added mayor to the list of political positions he's held after defeating Mayor Frank Jordan in a runoff election, breaking the tie that had existed since the Nov. 7 elections. Brown is the first African American to hold the title in San Francisco's history.

At 11:30 p.m. on election night at his campaign headquarters, Brown told his supporters not to address him as Mr. Speaker, but as "Da Mayor," putting on a baseball cap with his new title across the front.

"I''m going home and going to bed -- the night is over and I done won." Brown told a crowd of cheering supporters, ending what started out as a close race .

With all the precincts reporting and 11,000 absentee votes still to be counted early Wednesday morning, Brown won the race by a 13 point margin gathering 56.9 percent of the vote, while Jordan had 43 percent.

"The rain dance we did this morning didn't really work," Jordan told the crowd before he conceded the race.

While Brown said the race was one of the most difficult things he's done in his life, even calling it brutal, he said he knew exactly who gave him his new title -- the voters.

"It only licenses me to consult with you ... to be the enforcement once we have collectively agreed on solutions," Brown told the crowd.

The cheers and screaming that followed Brown's speech expressed relief from the day's tension for many Brown proponents and campaign volunteers. "It got a little tense earlier in the evening, when Jordan was ahead, but I knew Brown would come through," said Linda Meeks, a Brown supporter who had been at the headquarters since Tuesday afternoon.

By noon on election day, the first absentee ballot count had Jordan leading the race by eight points with 54 percent of the vote. Pat Reilly went as far as calling the celebration at Jordan's headquarters a victory party.

By midnight, Jordan declared the party over.

"I proved four years ago that one individual voice can make a difference," Jordan told the crowd. "I want you to stand proud, stand tall, speak your mind and stand up for your city, regardless of who the mayor is of San Francisco," he added.

Jordan, almost in tears, said "we did everything we could but didn't quite get to the finish line."

Brett Howard, who voted for Jordan and hoped he would win, was always realistic about who the probable mayor would be. "Jordan is the Inspector Couseau of politics," Howard said. "The problem is Brown's a pro --- he's a craftsman and the city is ripe for glamour."

During his concession speech, Jordan offered his hand in friendship to Brown, a move that was sparked by an earlier comment during Brown's victory speech.

Despite verbal attacks by Jordan, Brown surprised supporters by his willingness to communicate with his opponent. In his first television interview as mayor, Brown told KTVU reporter Ross McGowan that the comment about utilizing Jordan's skills was sincere. "I meant it," Brown said. "Everyone who has been mayor in this city has something to offer," he added.

Brown's first priority as mayor will be to improve the city's public transportation system. "No mayor in this town will survive unless the buses are on time, safe and clean," he said.

He went on to add that the city's economic future is at stake. "We have regional interest -- Oakland, San Jose, San Mateo -- we need to pull together to lessen the impact of down-sizing from Washington D.C.," Brown added.

Shaun Kim, a freshman at SF State, didn't vote in Tuesday's election, but her entire family supported Brown.

"Jordan didn't do that great of a job and we need a new change," said the student, who is a native of San Francisco.

Brown knows that his job as mayor is as protected as the citizens of San Francisco allow it to be.

"If you don't deliver for the voters, if you don't get the job done -- the voters will replace you," he said.

[ Golden Gater Online December 14, 1995 ]

[ back to top ]