After a two-week extension, the Ironton mayoral race is finally over and incumbent Mayor Sam Cramblit II has been re-elected.

We congratulate Cramblit on his victory in Tuesday’s runoff, which was a close race between him and challenger Amanda Cleary. The mayor has stated he wants to continue infrastructure projects and expand recreation opportunities and we hope he and city council are able to do so.

While she did not win the position as mayor, the city is fortunate to have a leader like Cleary here and her work with Third and Center, which she has pledged to continue (the nonprofit recently brought programming back to the Ironton Senior Center). We look forward to seeing what she does in the future. 

And we thank both candidates for keeping this year’s election free of mudslinging and negative campaigning.

Both candidates stayed focused on their platform, with Cramblit citing work he did in his first term and hopes to build on it, while Cleary outlined her vision for the city. It was a refreshing change from the infighting and polarization so typical of politics today.

Hopefully, and likely, supporters of both campaigns will be able to come together easily and work toward a better tomorrow for the city.