MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former City Council member Jim Strickland has been selected to lead the city of Memphis as its new mayor.
Strickland easily beat Wharton by more than 20,000 votes.
Harold Collins and Mike Williams followed with 18 percent and 16 percent, respectively.
Several city council races will go to a runoff due to no candidate receiving fifty percent of the vote.
Mayor A C Wharton conceded to Jim Strickland around 10 p.m. Thursday evening.
“Change is coming to Memphis,” Strickland said after the announcement. “Tonight we begin the journey together as one city.”
Strickland has served the city of Memphis for years, first as an attorney for Kustoff & Strickland, PLLC and as a member of the City Council.
He was first elected by the citizens for that role in October 2007.
Since then he has served as the vice chairman (2013) and the chairman (2014) for the Council.
Strickland said his main focus has always been, and will continue to be, improving public safety, expanding educational opportunities for young children and cleaning up the blight in our city.
Strickland said the root of our issues is crime.
“Crime is absolutely the number one thing holding Memphis back. We’re not growing in population or jobs, because of crime.”