Rapidly growing Denver picks Mike Johnston as new mayor amid mounting big-city problems

DENVER (AP) — Mike Johnston is on his way to becoming Denver’s new mayor. The former state senator had nearly 11,000 more votes than opponent Kelly Brough in unofficial results of Tuesday’s runoff election. Brough conceded and said she’d call to wish Johnston “godspeed in the work ahead.” The two moderate candidates were seeking to lead a rapidly growing city faced with out-of-control housing costs and increased homelessness. They were the top two vote-getters in a 16-way race in April, sending the race to Tuesday’s runoff. Johnston will be the city’s first new mayor in more than a decade, replacing Michael Hancock, who was electedin 2011.