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Incumbent mayor secures resounding victory amid a race tainted by his opponent’s white supremacist affiliations and scandals.
In a notable display of community resilience against extremist ideologies, the quaint Middle Tennessee city of Franklin saw incumbent Mayor Ken Moore triumph over challenger Gabrielle Hanson in a mayoral race marked by controversies.
According to Nashville CBS affiliate WTVF, the election unfolded amid a backdrop of white supremacist support and Christian nationalist ideologies never fully rejected by Hanson, a local real estate developer and first-term city alderwoman.
Moore’s decisive victory was celebrated with a significant margin, gathering 12,822 votes (79.4 percent), leaving Hanson trailing with 3,322 votes (20.6 percent). The election also witnessed a setback for other candidates affiliated with the MAGA movement and supported by the far-right Williamson Families PAC in the alderman-at-large race.
Related: The Tennessee Mayoral Candidate and Her White Supremacist Friends
The community showed a robust response against extremism during a candidates’ forum where white supremacists appeared in support of Hanson. Despite widespread criticism, Hanson chose not to disavow the extremist support, further alienating fellow alderpersons and a significant portion of the electorate.
Moore, expressing his gratitude toward the voters, emphasized the unity demonstrated by the community in overcoming the challenges posed during this election cycle. “The challenges of this election have made our community stronger,” Moore said amid celebrations with his supporters, adding, “We all know we live in a great community. We must keep it great.”
On the other hand, Hanson’s campaign was marred by numerous scandals uncovered by WTVF investigations.
Among the controversies were deceptive social media practices, unfounded conspiracy theories related to a local school shooting, a past arrest for promoting prostitution, and revealed connections between Hanson’s campaign and harassing actions by her white supremacist supporters. She had also supported a ban on the local Pride event.
Related: Tennessee Neo-Nazis Show Up to Support Far-Right Mayoral Candidate
Similarly, alderman-at-large candidate Jeff Feldman came under scrutiny for misleading campaign information and threatening social media posts, which led to a withdrawal of endorsement by the influential Westhaven Conservatives group, according to WTVF. The final tally showed a decisive victory for incumbent Ann Petersen in the alderman-at-large race with 10,961 votes, leaving Feldman behind with 4,243 votes.
