Politics
Wharton wins re-elected Memphis mayor
Wharton also faces what could be a difficult transition to a unified school system after voters approved consolidation of the city and county school districts.
Voters who backed Wharton said they welcomed his calm, reassuring manner on the job.
During the historic Memphis flooding on the nearby Mississippi River last spring, Wharton largely seemed unflappable as he coordinated with county emergency management official and calmly pleaded to the public to take the flood and evacuation orders seriously.
Supporters also spoke of his breadth of job experiences. He previously had served for about seven years as mayor of Shelby County. He also was the first African-American law professor at the University of Mississippi, a position he held for 25 years. And he also once served as Shelby County’s chief public defender.
At Central Christian Church on Thursday, one of the city’s busiest polling places, two dozen voters said they chose Wharton while none said they voted for the other candidates.
“He is doing a real good job,” Mike Harris, a 36-year-old restaurant manager, said of Wharton. “I look at what he inherited. We had problems when he got here. He’s handled it very well.”
Carl Sebelius, 70, said he has known Wharton for years and has confidence in him.
“I don’t see any need to change at this stage of the game,” he said.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
