Nation IN BRIEF : COLORADO : Denver Elects Webb as Its 1st Black Mayor

Wellington Webb was elected the first black mayor of Denver after mounting a walking campaign last month to revive his lagging campaign. Webb defeated District Attorney Norm Early, also black, who was a heavy favorite to win a month ago. With 96% of the precincts reporting, Webb had 57% of the vote to Early’s 43%. Early conceded the race. “We together did the impossible,” Webb told a gathering of supporters on a downtown Denver street. “This is a victory of people over money. This is a victory of positive over negative. This is a victory of grass roots over slick media campaign. This is a victory of shoe leather over airwaves.” He succeeds Federico Pena, a two-term mayor who decided against seeking a third term.