Franklin bests MacPherson; 6th Ward councilwoman waits in wings
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WARREN -- Mayor Doug Franklin is ready for what lies ahead after securing a majority of votes in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
According to unofficial and incomplete election results, Franklin received 60 percent of the vote to best Councilman at-Large Kenneth MacPherson.
Franklin said he's "poised and ready" to continue working on the city's behalf and for the challenge that awaits him in November.
"We sort of anticipated a challenge," Franklin said Tuesday before entering Enzo's restaurant on Elm Road NE, where a crowd had gathered. He will face 6th Ward Councilwoman Cheryl Saffold in November. She filed Monday to run as an independent candidate.
If re-elected, Franklin, 66, would tie Dan Sferra as the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.
MacPherson was elected 5th Ward councilman in 2017 and councilman at-large in 2021. He said he entered the race, in part, because he is frustrated with the time it takes to get things done and said Franklin has become complacent and lacks drive.
MacPherson joined about 40 supporters at Buena Vista Cafe before official results were tallied.
The Warren native called himself a "nontraditional politician" and campaigned on a platform that the city "deserves better." He said he would accept a loss and vowed to stay positive to do what's best for the city.
"We should be a lot better off than we are," he said, explaining it's time for residents to "expect better, demand more."
Franklin was first elected to the council's 4th Ward seat in 1990 and served as a councilman at-large from 1993 to 1996. He was council president from 1996 to 2013 and was former mayor Michael O'Brien's safety service director from 2004 to 2011. He was elected the city's 35th mayor in 2011.
The mayor has said he's proud of several initiatives during his tenure, including the demolition of the former St. Joseph Riverside Hospital, which closed in 1996 when it merged with Warren General Hospital. The city was awarded $3.4 million through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program to assist with the project. Another $2.5 million was awarded for asbestos removal at the site.
Born and raised in Warren, Franklin graduated from Warren Western Reserve High School and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and American government from Kent State University.
He expressed gratitude for his supporters, saying he's "humbled by the vote, by the margin of victory."