Business Owner, Democrat Gavin Buckley Elected As Annapolis' Next Mayor
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)-- Four years ago Republican Mike Pantelides became Annapolis' mayor by just 59 votes. Tuesday, he lost his reelection bid to Democrat Gavin Buckley who won about 5,400 votes to Pantiledes' 3,300 votes.
"We couldn't be happier," Buckley said. "I think Annapolis sent a clear message, you know. It wants some new ideas and vision for the future."
Buckley was born in Australia and opened the first coffee bar in Annapolis. He later gambled on a restaurant in a rundown section if West Street and it paid off.
"It's become a street where locals go. It's become a street are drawn to," he said. "The same resolve I brought to West Street, we want to bring to the whole city."
Buckley doesn't think political resistance to Trump, that helped elect other Democrats, played out in Annapolis.
"We live in a great little town where Democrats and Republicans live next door to each other, you know," Buckley said. "We're all neighbors."
Mayor Pantelides has pledged to help Buckley in the transition process.
"Mike was great. He reached out to me and congratulated us on the win, and I asked him if he would be an adviser for me and he said 'no problem.'"
The disappointment for Buckley was breaking the news to his kids that the mayor doesn't get a mansion.
Buckley will be sworn in as mayor of Annapolis on December 4.
Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
