A Princeton city council member lost his bid for reelection after joking about shooting liberals in a Facebook comment.
Terrance Johnson received about 54% of the votes according to unofficial election results. Kleiber got about 46% of the vote. A total of 6,715 cast ballots in the election.
Kleiber stepped down shortly before the election but remained on the ballot. KERA reached out to him for comment via phone or email before this article was published but didn’t hear back. He posted an apology for his remarks in a public Facebook group, The Original Princeton TX Cares.
“I realize that the content of the post was inappropriate, poorly considered, and did not reflect the values and respect that I hold for our community,” Kleiber wrote.
Before, Johnson said it was impossible for candidates that weren’t conservative to win in Princeton. But as the population grows, moderates, independents and even Democrats are calling Princeton home. The city is the third fastest growing city in the nation according to the U.S. census.
Johnson said the population growth is bringing change – something he wants to focus on during his city council term.
“I want to be that beacon and show that there are people here with particular skill sets that can help grow this community, that we are not the Princeton of old, and that we are progressing towards a future,” Johnson said.
The Princeton mayoral race is headed to a runoff. Mayor Brianna Chacon, who received about 41% of the vote according to unofficial results, will face Eugene Escobar Jr. in a Dec. 14 election.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
Caroline Love is a Report For America corps member for KERA News.
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