Frank G. Jackson - 2005 Cleveland Mayoral Election

2005 Cleveland Mayoral Election

As Council President, Jackson became increasingly frustrated with the leadership of Mayor Jane L. Campbell. As the 2005 mayoral election approached, Jackson announced his candidacy on April 7. During his campaign, Jackson said that if he "didn't restore hope to the ailing city within 200 days of taking office, would consider himself a failure." He received endorsements from several notable Cleveland and Cuyahoga County politicians, including Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, County Auditor Frank Russo, County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, and most of his colleagues on City Council. In the October 4 mayoral primary, Jackson was the top vote-getter, ahead of the incumbent Campbell. Other candidates in the primary included former Cleveland Public Safety Director, James A. Draper; former Euclid Mayor and businessman David Lynch; former Cleveland Councilman Bill Patmon, and Municipal Court Judge Robert Triozzi, whom Jackson eventually asked to become his law director.

In the November 8, 2005 general election, he was elected mayor with 55% of the vote, while Campbell received 45%. At 11:25 p.m. (EST), she conceded to Jackson.

On January 2, 2006, Jackson was sworn in as Cleveland's 56th mayor at East Technical High School on the city's East Side. Among those in attendance were Congresswoman Tubbs Jones and Bishop Anthony Pilla of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. In his inaugural address, Jackson vowed to make Cleveland a city where we are "one people, one community, living and working together, with respect, justice and equality." He also promised improvements in the city's school system and better relations with Cleveland's neighboring suburbs.