SHEBOYGAN, Wis., Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Sheboygan, Wis., Mayor Bob Ryan won the first round of a recall election prompted by an altercation while binge drinking and his admission of alcoholism.
Ryan took nearly 33 percent of votes to lead an eight-candidate field Tuesday. The second-place finisher was former state Rep. Terry Van Akkeren with 26.2 percent of votes, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported.
The two will face a recall runoff Feb. 21, with the winner serving the final year of Ryan's four-year term.
Ryan said he felt good about Tuesday's election.
"I got more thumbs up as opposed to any other appendage," he joked.
Ryan underwent alcohol treatment this past summer after getting into a physical altercation while binge drinking in Elkhart Lake. The mayor made a public apology, and admitted he is an alcoholic.
The incident recalled an earlier alcohol-fueled embarrassment in 2009 when a YouTube video surfaced of an intoxicated Ryan making sexually explicit comments about his sister-in-law, the newspaper reported.
"It was embarrassing when that happened," Ryan said. "Truthfully, I would like to get this behind me."
