ATLANTA -- City Councilman Bill Campbell Tuesday was elected mayor, defeating former Fulton County Commission Chairman Michael Lomax by an overwhelming vote of 73 percent to 27 percent in what many observers called an ugly runoff campaign.
The runoff was dominated less by publicity about the crime, tax and 1996 Olympic issues discussed in the general election, instead overshadowed by questions raised by Lomax concerning the ongoing federal corruption probe as well as expenditures at Hartsfield International Airport and Campbell's ties to both.
Lomax raised questions concerning Campbell's connection to the probe which has led to the indictment of seven people.
Once the question of Campbell's involvement arose, he voluntarily took a lie detector test which he reportedly passed.
Those questions also led Campbell to bitterly question what he called the increasingly negative tone of the campaign, criticism that took the main stage in the runoff campaign.
Campbell succeeds Maynard Jackson, who cited family and personal concerns as his reason not to seek another term. Jackson underwent bypass surgery last year.
