In a convincing upset, first-time candidate Paul Winfield was elected mayor of Vicksburg Tuesday, taking nearly 62 percent of the 6,870 votes cast to oust two-time incumbent Laurence Leyens.  

A throng of Winfield supporters gathered at the corner of Main and Second North streets upon hearing the results, waiting for Winfield to appear for his acceptance speech and party at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Community Center. The crowd exploded into wild cheering as the mayor-elect drove up with his wife, Malissa, and 3-year-old son, honking the horn and pumping his fist in victory.

“I want everybody to relax, feel good and revel in our victory tonight, because the victory is ours!” Winfield, 35, told about 250 people during the opening of his speech. “It’s not only the people in this room who have worked very, very hard over the past year to make this evening a reality — this victory is for all of Vicksburg.”

About 300 fewer voters showed up to the polls on Tuesday compared to the 2005 general election, including 336 absentee ballots and a handful of affidavit votes. Official turnout was 6,870 on Tuesday — 37.2 percent of the 18,480 names on voter rolls — with Winfield getting 4,238 votes and Leyens 2,632.

Four years ago, Leyens beat Democratic challenger and Warren County District 3 Supervisor Charles Selmon by garnering 55 percent of the 7,166 total votes cast. This year, the incumbent received more votes than Winfield at just three of the city’s 11 precincts — the Elks Lodge, Porters Chapel United Methodist Church  and Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Hall — opposed to the six precincts he won in his victory over Selmon.

“The community voted and I think we should respect that vote,” said Leyens at his concession speech Tuesday night. 

Leyens thanked all of his supporters over the past eight years during his brief remarks, and said if they remain active in the city many of the initiatives he began since 2001 can still be completed. An independent, Leyens had run on a simple campaign slogan — “Results” — citing the urban renewal projects, infrastructure improvements, economic development initiatives and beautification efforts he undertook after taking office. Had he been elected Tuesday, he would have been the first mayor in 40 years to be voted into a third full term as mayor.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve done,” he said.

He did not say on Tuesday night and did not return phone calls this morning about his plans.

Winfield — a practicing attorney serving his fifth term as city attorney in Port Gibson — acknowledged the work ahead of him when he takes over as mayor on July 6.

“While we have accomplished a great thing this evening — we have made history again — our work is not done,” he said. “Vicksburg has a number of issues we need to address.”

On the campaign trail, Winfield said he would work to  increase affordable housing and economic development in Vicksburg, as well as overhaul the police department by replacing Police Chief Tommy Moffett and provide for more open, respectful leadership in City Hall. Winfield repeatedly accused Leyens of alienating the underprivileged in Vicksburg, and had made “Vicksburg is not for sale” his primary campaign slogan.

“We have proven it doesn’t necessarily take money to win an election,” Winfield told his supporters. “It takes the people.”

Leyens reported $100,819 in campaign contributions, compared to Winfield’s $56,373.99.

Although he majored in political science at Ole Miss, is treasurer for the state Democratic party and was a delegate for President Barack Obama at the national convention last year, Winfield’s successful bid for mayor was his first run at public office. He was attorney for the Warren County Board of Supervisors from 2005 until 2008, and has said that experience will help him mend the frayed relationship between the governing boards in the city and county.

Winfield’s win over Leyens was slightly more convincing than his May 5 primary win, in which he bested Gertrude Young, John Shorter and Tommy Wright. He received 1,950 of the 3,165 primary votes cast — or 61.6 percent — enough to avoid a runoff. The Democratic primary produced the lowest voter turnout in recent history, with just 16.8 percent of those on the rolls casting a vote.

No Republicans filed in the mayoral race — the lone race on Tuesday’s ballot. Both North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield and South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman are unopposed in the election and will continue serving in their second and third terms, respectively. The annual salary for the mayor is $81,033.68 and for aldermen, $64,827.10.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com