Tim Denson, the progressive candidate who ran against (and lost to) Mayor Nancy Denson last month, endorsed Melissa Link in the Athens-Clarke County Commission District 3 race on Sunday.
“I am extremely proud of this endorsement, as not only do Tim and I see eye to eye on just about every issue affecting our community, but we have worked together side by side as activists for quite some time before either of us ever considered running for office,” Link said in an email to Flagpole.
Link said that Commissioner Jared Bailey, former commissioner Ed Robinson and Al Davison, former mayor Heidi Davison’s husband, also attended her campaign event Sunday at Ted’s Most Best.
Link also has been endorsed by the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
Her opponent in the July 22 runoff, Rachel Watkins, has been endorsed by Commissioner Kelly Girtz.
Tim Denson’s endorsement is especially key because he won more than 80 percent of the vote in the Chase Street precinct, the heart of District 3.
With 39 percent, Link led second-place finisher Watkins (36 percent) in the first round of voting May 20. They split the Cobbham and Boulevard vote, but Link outperformed Watkins in the primarily African American Rocksprings and Hancock Corridor neighborhoods.
“I am continuing the hard work and diverse outreach that earned me the leader’s position going into this runoff election, and I am particularly proud of my support in our African American community,” Link said. “I had a wonderful time this weekend mingling and celebrating with so many supporters at the Hot Corner Festival and at Hill Chapel Baptist Church’s Father’s Day services. I am completely dedicated to bringing a spirit of unity, active outreach, equality and inclusion to District 3 and look forward to serving all the communities in this wonderfully diverse and exciting district!”
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