STOCKTON, Calif. — Michael Tubbs conceded the Stockton mayoral election to challenger, and now Mayor-elect Kevin Lincoln, Tuesday night.
Tubbs released a statement acknowledging his defeat, saying in part, “I congratulate Kevin Lincoln and wish him the best as our new mayor. He will need all of our support as we still have issues of poverty, education, health, and especially COVID-19 that must be addressed.”
On Tuesday night, Lincoln issued an acceptance statement. He said, in part, that he looks forward to working with Tubbs on a smooth transition process and working with his future fellow councilmembers.
"Our campaign was based on unifying Stockton, ensuring everyone has a seat at the table, no one is left out," Lincoln said in a statement. "My administration will focus on Stockton residents’ priorities, not mine. I am optimistic about Stockton’s future and know the mettle of our residents is unmatched. Our city is exceptional, and I am proud to have the opportunity to be your Mayor.
A full statement from Lincoln and a full statement from Tubbs’ can be read at the bottom of this article.
Tubbs, 30, became one of the youngest mayors of a big city in the United States after being elected in 2016. He garnered national attention when he established privately-funded programs that paid a small group of lower-income people $500 a month to spend as they wish.
Lincoln, who has served as a church minister in the Stockton area, maintained a steady lead over Tubbs since election night. In the days since the election that lead gradually expanded.
Lincoln, 39, is a former Marine and served under George W. Bush. His platform in the mayoral race focused on reforming city practices and increasing collaboration to help decrease crime and homelessness.
Tubbs issued the following statement on the results of the race:
"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as Mayor of my hometown. I am incredibly proud of the work we accomplished together as a community. We have worked to make Stockton take its place as the 13th largest city in California, the world's 5th largest economy.
Today, in Stockton, our city is becoming a safer community. I leave office with a 19% drop in overall crime, and over the years we saw a 40% drop in homicides with a 31% drop in shootings. We have a record number of police officers and we expanded our intervention services through programs like Advanced Peace.
Under education, we increased the number of students applying for federal student aid. Through our Stockton Scholars program, we continue to offer over $20 million in scholarships for students throughout Stockton.
We also made inroads on homelessness by doubling the size of our winter shelter, providing trailers for our homeless veterans, and purchasing a motel as part of Project Homekey, which addresses 20% of our overall housing goal. We also worked to build more affordable housing by acquiring surplus state land to build over 100 units in the heart of our downtown. And in tonight’s council meeting we will be reviewing the disbursement of $6.4 million in additional state funds to address homelessness.
Today, through programs like our recently launched $12 million Stockton Service Corps, people have the opportunity to give back by serving students in some of our most challenged schools. We also received millions in state funds to improve neighborhoods damaged by decades of pollution. We worked, with the support of the governor, to reimagine higher educational opportunities through our efforts to build a California State University campus within our city limits. And during my time in office we saw the growth of over 2,000 jobs, which included positions in green technology and digital storage to support our neighbors in nearby Silicon Valley.
Growing up in Stockton, my friends and I always believed that to be successful, you had to leave our city limits. Today, I am proud to say that in Stockton, whether you want to give back through service to your community, expand your education or build a career, it can all be done here within our city. Again, I am honored to have served as your mayor and I will continue to support the work needed to move our city forward. I am also proud to walk away knowing our fiscal health is better off then when I started with a $13 million budget surplus. I congratulate Kevin Lincoln and wish him the best as our new mayor. He will need all of our support as we still have issues of poverty, education, health, and especially COVID-19 that must be addressed.
Stockton, we have more growth ahead and more work to do. However, to truly reach our potential it will take our entire community coming together to achieve our goals. One person can't do it alone, and it will take more than just tweets or Facebook posts to build a better tomorrow. To truly reinvent Stockton, we all must look out for each other, in America’s most diverse city."
WATCH MORE: Michael Tubbs concedes Stockton mayoral race to Kevin Lincoln | Full Interview
Lincoln issued the following statement on the results of the race:
Hi Stockton,
I want to thank everyone who worked night and day to support my campaign for Mayor. I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and will never forget the sacrifice so many made to get us here. I also want to thank those that took the time to share with me your vision for a better Stockton. This has been a long journey, and now it’s time to get to work, putting those great ideas into action.
I want to extend my appreciation to Mayor Tubbs for his eight years of service to our community. I look forward to collaborating with him on a smooth transition and hope he will continue to enrich our city with his ingenuity and passion for Stockton. I also look forward to working with my future fellow councilmembers who work tirelessly to address their constituents’ needs.
Our campaign was based on unifying Stockton, ensuring everyone has a seat at the table, no one is left out. My administration will focus on Stockton residents’ priorities, not mine. I am optimistic about Stockton’s future and know the mettle of our residents is unmatched. Our city is exceptional, and I am proud to have the opportunity to be your Mayor.
May God bless Stockton and continue to help us live up to our tremendous potential.
