“Kindness wins,” George Ferrie’s supporters posted to social media on Saturday night when news spread that Ferrie defeated Erica Garland, a Planning and Zoning commissioner, in the runoff for citywide Place 5 on the Denton City Council.
Ferrie, a social worker, won the runoff by 133 votes, receiving a total of 7,769 votes (50.4%) to Garland’s 7,636 (49.6%), according to complete but unofficial results from the Denton County Elections Administration.
“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful community members who voted in this runoff and showed everyone that hate has no place in Denton,” Ferrie said in a message to the Denton Record-Chronicle late Saturday. “I look forward to representing every single Dentonite with compassion and integrity.”
It will be Ferrie’s first time to serve as a City Council member, after several previous runs for office.
More people voted in Saturday’s runoff than in the May 2 general election, with 12,218 total votes for Place 5 in May and 15,405 total votes on Saturday.
The runoff totals could change slightly on June 23, when the City Council is set to certify the election results at a special called meeting.
During early voting in the runoff, residents cast 12,671 ballots.
Brandon Chase McGee, who was in his second term in Place 5, didn’t seek reelection. Ferrie and Garland headed into a runoff after neither failed to secure more than 50% of the vote in the three-person race May 2.
Throughout the campaign, Ferrie’s priorities included real affordability, infrastructure and a worker-centered economy.
Garland’s priorities have focused on public safety, infrastructure, responsible growth, economic vitality and fiscal responsibility, according to her campaign page.
On Saturday morning, Garland shared a statement saying she was proud of her campaign while also acknowledging the contention.
"Last night did not end the way we hoped, but I leave this race with my integrity fully intact and I cannot say the same for how it was conducted by my opponent," she said.
"I am proud of what we built. We earned the endorsement of the Denton Police Officers Association, the Denton Firefighters Association, the Denton County Republican Party, state legislators, and the county sheriff. We earned those endorsements — on substance, service, and integrity."
Although City Council seats are nonpartisan, Garland received major endorsements and support from Republican leaders, including Denton County Judge Andy Eads and U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill, as well as Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth, who made a bid for county commissioner in the GOP primary.
Last month, a Republican PAC supporting Garland released homophobic ads attacking Ferrie, who said they had been the target of hate since announcing their campaign.
The Denton County Republican Party and Garland denounced the political ads.
"What I am not proud of is what I witnessed in the final days of this race. My opponent made accusations that were not true," Garland said in her statement.
"As a woman I absorbed those attacks silently and with grace, because that is who I am. But silence is not the same as acceptance. … Women should not have to endure deliberate misinformation and attack campaigns designed to move votes through false accusations."
CHRISTIAN McPHATE can be reached at 940-220-4299 and cmcphate@dentonrc.com.
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