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Randall Woodfin, a city attorney and member of the Birmingham Board of Education in Alabama, can now add the title of Mayor-Elect to his name. Woodfin won the seat in a runoff election against incumbent Mayor William Bell, bolstered by running on a largely progressive platform.
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Woodfin, 36, and a graduate of Morehouse College, was not initially expected to win against Bell, 68, who has served the past two terms as mayor and has been in elected office before Woodfin was born. Progressive national groups, such as Bernie Sanders’ Our Revolution, backed Woodfin’s campaign which attracted young voters and support in a widespread ground effort.
What struck analysts as telling was the margin by which Woodfin defeated Bell at 58 to 41 percent. The youth vote and a desire for fresh ideas have been chief among the reasons why the Samford University, Columbia School of Law grad was able to be victorious.
Woodfin’s win signals the winds of change in the South, where the changing of the guard is evident as younger voters are moving to the region in search of new and cheaper opportunities. Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is another progressive voice that is part of the new political landscape.
PHOTO: Randall Woodlfin official site
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Little Known Black History Fact: Randall Woodfin was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
