McClement clinches Frederick mayoral race

Frederick voters elected Randy McClement the city's next mayor, according to unofficial results.

The owner of a downtown bagel shop delivered his victory speech to supporters Tuesday night after learning he had topped Democrat Jason Judd in votes.

"We were confident going into the last two weeks, the momentum really started picking up," McClement said outside the Greene Turtle bar along Carroll Creek, where Republicans congregated to celebrate.

Unofficial results had McClement collecting 3,495 votes compared with Judd's 3,283. Turnout was just over 22.5 percent of the city's 30,655 registered voters.

The results will be certified Thursday. The city sent out 450 absentee ballots with about 380 returned as of Tuesday.

McClement said he expected a close race.

"Not one time did I think it would be a cakewalk," he said.

Judd had mobilized a far-reaching campaign with hundreds of volunteers, outspending McClement by a wide margin. His signs were ubiquitous around Frederick , with dozens of volunteers canvassing for him most weekends.

"I am sorry we didn't win this damn thing, but I'm proud of the race we've run," Judd said, choking up at one point during a speech he gave just after 9:30 p.m. to a crowd at Café 611.

Judd, who was running for his first elected office, spent a total of $40,165 on his campaign, according to the three finance reports filed to this point.

McClement had total of $12,872 in campaign expenditures, according to the reports.

The primary election saw Judd easily beat Jennifer Dougherty, the former mayor who many expected to pose more of a challenge.

McClement had less of a contest during the primary, facing the less favored of his two opponents after Ron Tobin, the executive assistant to Mayor Jeff Holtzinger, dropped out of the race for health reasons.

Holtzinger, who was with McClement on Tuesday night, said he will help the mayor-elect with his transition.

"You want to get the new administration in as good a footing as possible," he said.

Holtzinger had announced he would support McClement after Tobin exited the race.

The race between Judd and McClement did not become mired in the personal attacks and conflicts of elections past.

City issues stayed at the forefront. Candidates offered their visions for city growth and annexation, an upcoming budget crisis and strategies to develop economically distressed areas.

Republican opponents did take opportunity to question Judd's professional background as a community organizer and current position as executive at the Service Employees International Union.

The Frederick County Republican Central Committee issued a statement questioning Judd's ties to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN. The organization has been tied to voter fraud and a recent videotape scandal where ACORN workers provided legal and tax advice to conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute.

Another flier circulated the day before the election by an unknown party or organization criticized Judd's employer, SEIU, and its ties to ACORN. The flier was attached to copies of McClement's campaign leaflets.

McClement distanced himself from the central committee's statement and denounced the unauthorized use of his campaign literature with the attack flier.

However, in the final days of the race McClement became more vocal at candidate forums, underscoring his commitment to the community while questioning Judd's qualifications to run for mayor of a city to which he moved two years ago. He compared his own experience as a longtime small-business owner involved in boards and organizations.

On Tuesday, McClement said he'll start by organizing his administration and initiating a transition team.

McClement said he'll keep his shop, Market Bagel and Deli, running with the help of wife and co-owner Maryjane.

In addition to choosing a team to help him at City Hall, McClement said he'll be looking another full-time baker to take his place.

He said he's also looking forward to working with a new Board of Aldermen.

"From what I can see who's going to be aldermen, everyone's going to be a team player," he said.

Copyright 2009 The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved.