Charles Pugh To Lead New Detroit City Council

DETROIT – Former Fox 2 anchor Charles Pugh says he ready to lead now during a victory speech on election night. “But like you Detroit, I’m a fighter and a survivor. We made it through the storm.”

Charles was a guest during FOX 2 News Morning on Wednesday. Click the video player above to watch the full interview.

The recent news that Pugh is facing foreclosure on his home did not inflict the kind of negative impact that many politcal experts were forecasting for him. At the very least it was thought that Pugh’s personal finance problems would cost him the city council presidency. The voters had another idea, Pugh received the most votes and will replace Cockrel as council president.

The top vote-getter automatically wins the council presidency. Pugh also received the most votes in an August primary.

Tuesday’s election offers a chance at a new direction for the City Council, which has been the subject of a federal corruption probe that led to the conviction of Councilwoman Monica Conyers for taking bribes.

Conyers, wife of Democratic U.S. Rep. John Conyers, is awaiting a Dec. 1 sentencing after admitting to accepting money for her vote on a controversial sludge-hauling contract.

Five incumbents and 13 challengers competed for nine City Council seats. Four incumbents won re-election and one was ousted.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Pugh had 88,704 votes. Ex-Detroit Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown was second with 80,698 votes. Cockrel finished fourth.

x-Charles Pugh, 88,704 – 9 percent
x-Gary Brown, 80,698 – 9 percent
x-Saunteel Jenkins, 74,918 – 8 percent
x-Ken Cockrel, (i) 74,680 – 8 percent
x-Brenda Jones, (i) 61,294 – 7 percent
x-Andre Spivey, 60,382 – 6 percent
x-James Tate, 58,146 – 6 percent
x-Kwame Kenyatta, (i) 57,482 – 6 percent
x-Jo Ann Watson, (i) 54,602 – 6 percent
Lisa Howze, 48,414 – 5 percent
Alberta Tinsley-Talabi, (i) 46,960 – 5 percent
Jai-Lee Dearing, 45,753 – 5 percent
John Bennett, 35,579 – 4 percent
Shelley Foy, 35,123 – 4 percent
Mohamed Okdie, 32,905 – 3 percent
Fred Hall, 32,825 – 3 percent
Raphael Johnson, 31,631 – 3 percent
David Cross, 21,502 – 2 percent
9 to be elected.