RACINE — Cory Mason won re-election as Racine mayor on Tuesday after an expensive, contentious campaign.
Mason received 8,596 votes (57.4%) over Alderman Henry Perez, who received 6,376 votes (or 42.6%), according to unofficial results.
“Now, it’s about working together to build on our successes and build a better community for everybody,” said Mason, surrounded by well-wishers at a watch party at The Branch at 1501, 1501 Washington Ave.
Perez conceded the race at about 9:20 p.m. at his campaign’s watch party at Dewey’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, 600 Main St.
A former pastor, Perez led his supporters in prayer “that the city may come from darkness and into light.” He then invited everyone present to stick around for food and refreshments.
Mason, 50, will begin his second four-year term in the mayor’s office. A former Wisconsin State Assembly member, he became mayor in a special election in 2017 and was elected to a full term in 2019.
Perez, 62, will continue to represent the 12th District on the Racine Common Council, where he has served since 2013.
Over the past few weeks, the mayoral race has been marked by attack ads from both sides. The Perez campaign criticized Mason for police department staffing shortages and a rash of gun violence. Mason, meanwhile, labeled Perez “a MAGA extremist” linking him to former President Donald Trump.
The two campaigns collectively raised and spent more than $500,000 in February and March. Mason’s campaign – Mason for Racine – raised the bulk of its funding, approximately $420,000 from the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Mason for Racine was also assisted by the Open Democracy PAC, a political action committee.
Perez’s campaign – Friends of Henry Perez – raised about $25,000 primarily from individual donors. An independent committee, Citizens for Safer Streets LLC, raised and spent about $13,000 on his behalf, according to state records.
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