Ex-Governor Wilder elected as 1st Richmond mayor

Former Virginia governor L. Douglas Wilder tonight was leading in his bid to become this city's first elected mayor in more than 50 years, in early returns. Wilder, a Richmond native, was beating three other candidates, including the current mayor, Rudolph C. McCollum Jr., who was appointed by the City Council three years ago. "We're feeling good about the election," Wilder said in a morning interview as he toured the city after voting. In addition to McCollum, Wilder ran against former School Board member Charles Nance and architect Lawrence E. Williams in the nonpartisan election. All four candidates toured the city this afternoon, talking with voters before retreating to restaurants across the city to wait for the returns. The winner needed to carry five of the city's nine districts. In early returns, Wilder led in four. During the campaign, Wilder, who in 1989 became the first African American elected governor in the nation, consistently expressed disgust that the capital city has fallen into what he called disrepair, often citing Richmond's high poverty levels, poor student performance in city schools and an increasing homicide rate. He also described City Hall as a "cesspool" of corruption after several council members and other city officials were convicted of felonies. [more]