LEWISTON — Maine’s second-largest city has a new mayor, with the winner garnering just 70 votes more than his dead opponent.

Bob Macdonald garnered 2,543 votes in Tuesday’s runoff election, compared to 2,473 votes for the late Mark Paradis. The results are unofficial.

Paradis died of complications from pneumonia on Friday two days after announcing he had cancer.

Paradis and Macdonald were the top vote-getters in November’s five-way general election, but a runoff was required since no candidate got more than 50 percent of the vote.

Macdonald tells The Sun Journal that while he’s pleased with his victory, he promised that Paradis’ staff would “pay” for what he called “sleazy” campaign tactics.

Macdonald says Paradis’ people started a rumor that his wife has Alzheimer’s disease.

Paradis’ campaign manager denied rumor-mongering.

 


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