Voters in Watertown have selected Joe Butler Jr. as the city's next mayor. Tuesday's vote ends Jeff Graham's 20 year tenure as Watertown’s mayor.
A small group of supporters streamed into Jeff Graham's bar, The Pearl St. Pub, shortly after the polls close at 9 p.m. Tuesday. They held signs seen all over town that read "Vote for Our Mayor" in red, white and blue letters. John Hulbert has lived in Watertown his whole life and says he knows Graham well.
"He's a good person. I've watched him through the years. He's doing a good job for Watertown and I see no reason not to keep him," Hulbert said.
But as the first votes rolled in, Graham trailed behind Butler. Graham looked visibly distraught. He paced up and down the bar, stopping only to check the results on his laptop. The numbers came slowly. A friend gave Graham a solemn pat on the back. Another friend bought him a shot.
The bartender, Lindsey McCargar wiped away tears. She says she can't imagine Watertown without Graham as mayor.
"It's going to be hard for all of us because we live with him. I work here 40 hours a week, Dee is here 50 hours a week. We are like his family because he doesn't have siblings in the area or a children or a wife so we're family," Mccargar said.
In the end, Butler won 62 percent of the vote. Graham called Butler to concede. Then, he came out to thank his supporters.
"I feel at peace with myself. We ran a hard campaign and I don't view it as a repudiation of the work I've done. I view it as the public wanted to move in a different direction and they ran an effective campaign overtly and under the radar and they won so that's that," Graham said.
City council candidate Todd Demar, who publicly sparred with Graham earlier in the race, also was not elected. Instead, voter chose two new faces, Cody Horbacz and Mark Walczyk, to city council.
Meanwhile, Butler's family and friends celebrated at his home. Butler stood by the door smiling and shaking hands. He says he was surprised by how many voters selected him over Graham.
"That tells me that they were really ripe for change and my message resonated with the voters and they are excited by this opportunity as much as I am so that's good."
Butler says after the long and tumultuous campaign, he's eager to move on. "For one, I'm going to have a night where I can relax and sleep and not be anxious and worried and thinking a 100-miles an hour."
Joe Butler Jr. will be sworn in as Mayor of Watertown in January.