Challenger Blair Murphy falls short in Columbia mayor race
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Despite feeling confident Tuesday morning, Blair Murphy fell short of ousting Columbia's incumbent mayor despite a well-funded campaign.
Incumbent Mayor Barbara Buffaloe defeated Murphy by more than 3,000 votes. When all the votes were counted, Buffaloe garnered more than 14,000 votes to Murphy's 10,663, despite Murphy's campaign taking in more than a quarter-million dollars.
Murphy told supporters at D. Rowe's restaurant that he would not run again.
Murph also told supporters that the outcome of this election will sting because of the confidence he had heading into the night. He attributed much of that confidence to the many endorsements he had received and the endless hard work of his campaign.
"I never really showed it because I knew I had to keep my foot on the gas the whole time and not act like we had it," Murphy said. "But, I mean I got to be 100% honest. ...I felt very, very positive about this and so again, you won't see me in 3 years doing it."
Murphy made his speech alongside his wife and daughter. His daughter told his supporters that they did not view the night as a loss because they did everything possible throughout campaigning to get the win.
Murphy started his Tuesday morning voting at Woodcrest Chapel in southwest Columbia alongside his wife Melissa. He planned to spend the final hours before the polls close at 7 p.m. visiting more than 30 city voting precincts, according to his campaign manager, Scott Charton.
"Murph is feeling confident with the team's efforts, which are going strong until the polls close at 7 p.m.," Charton said. "He's also both humbled and inspired by the support he has received as a first-time candidate."
Murphy is a Columbia native, member of the Crimestoppers board and owner of Johnson Paint and Decorating in south Columbia. He told ABC 17 News in a sit-down interview before the election, he felt his many years of living in the city made him qualified for the job.
Murphy ran a campaign with a heavy focus on public safety and preventing crime and said that would be his No. 1 priority. He told voters outside the Woodcrest Church on Tuesday that he planned to support the police department.
He told his supporters Tuesday night that he doesn't think there was much more he and his campaign team could have done, and he doesn't have many regrets.
"We worked every day, every day but Sunday and we took that for our families and for other things," Murphy said. " We couldn't have done anymore I mean at all and I'll forever be grateful for all the support from all you guys."
