Kansas City mayoral primary heads to battle between two city council members
The two contenders emerged at the top of a field of 11 candidates and will now fight it out until the June general election
Kansas City Councilman Quinton Lucas and Councilwoman Jolie Justus beat out nine challengers in Tuesday’s Kansas City mayoral primary and will now face off in the June general election.
According to unofficial vote tallies, Justus, 4th District, brought in almost 25 percent of the vote. Lucas, 3rd District at-large, came in roughly four points behind Justus, according to the Kansas City Star.
Justus, 48, was expected to win the primary. The councilwoman, who served two terms in the state Senate, brought in more money to her campaign than any other challenger. Plus she was endorsed by incumbent Sly James, who is stepping down after eight years in office.
On Tuesday night, when votes showed her leading, Justus went to the Tower Tavern, a midtown bar in Kansas City and where she campaigned with residents weekly in her “office hours” initiative. The Kansas City Star reported when she entered, fans began cheering: “Jolie! Jolie! Jolie!”
The second highest vote getter, Lucas, 34, is an attorney and University of Kansas School of Law lecturer. Voters related to him by his touching story and his transparency, according to news accounts. If elected he would be Kansas City’s third Black mayor, following Emanuel Cleaver and James.
Lucas was raised by a single mom on the city’s east side with his two sisters. He told voters that he had experienced homelessness as a child. He excelled in school and would later win scholarships to attend the Barstow School, Washington University in St. Louis and the Cornell Law School, according to the Kansas City Star.
“This is amazing,” Lucas told a crowd of cheering supporters, according to the Kansas City Star. “And I wouldn’t be here today, by the way, without my mama!”
He hugged his mother, Quincy Bennett, as his supporters cheered.
“I think they saw the substance this campaign had,” Lucas told the Kansas City Star. “I think they saw my life story. I’ve lived a struggle. Still do some days. And I still know what it’s like to be poor. I know what it’s like to be homeless but to also be able to succeed in our city and I look forward to us pushing that conversation, that message, over the next several months.”
There were 11 total contenders for the open mayoral seat.
