Former NAACP leader Kweisi Mfume wins special election for 7th Congressional District

Former NAACP leader Kweisi Mfume wins special election for 7th Congressional District

HELD FOR THE FIRST TIMEPRIMARILY BY MAIL BECAUSETHE CORONAVIRUS IS OVER.

THEASSOCIATED PRESS IS DECLARINGDEMOCRAT KWEISI MFUME THEWINNER.

MFUME, WHO WAS THELATE CONGRESSMAN ELIJAHCUMMINGS PREDECESSOR, WILL NOWBE HIS SUCCESSOR━ REPLACINGHIM AS THE 7TH DISTRICTCONGRESSMAN.

HE WILL FINISHTHE REST OF CUMMINGS' TERMWHICH ENDS IN JANUARY.

WMA━2NEWS RAY STRICKLAND IS LIVEOUTSIDE OF MFUME'S CAMPAIGNHEADQUARTERS IN BALTIMOREWHERE HE SPOKE TO THE MEDIAABOUT THE VICTORY.

RAY, WHATCAN YOU TELL US?AND KELLY, AS YOU SAID HE'SREPLACING ELIJAH CUMMING, HISFRIEND FOR DECADES.

ABOUT ANHOUR AGO MFUME TOLD ME THISMOMENT IS SURREAL, ALSO SAYINGHE WON'T BE ABLE TO REPLACECUMMINGS BUT HE HOPES TO CARVEHIS OWN PATH ONCE AGAIN.TONIGHT, MFUME SAYS HE ISINCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR THEOPPORUNITY AND HE SAYS HE ISEXCITED TO START WORKING ONKEY ISSSUES.

NOW, TONIGHT'SSPECIAL ELECTION WAS CERTAINLYSPECIAL IN MANY DIFFERENTWAYS.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME INHISTORY THE ELECTION WAS HELPRIMARILY BY MAIL THAT OFCOURSE WAS BECAUSE OF FEARSOVER THE CORONAVIRUS.

SAFETYPRECAUTIONS WERE PUT IN PLACEAT POLLING LOCATIONS.

BUT ITDID HAVE AN IMPACT ON VOTERTURNOUT.

STILL EARLY RESULTSARE SHOWING MFUME WINNING BY ALANDSLIDE OVER REPUBLICANKIMBERLY KLACIK, RECEIVING 73PERCENT OF THE VOTE.

MFUMEWILL GO ON TO FINISH CUMMINGSTERM.

HE SAYS HIS FIRST ORDEOF BUSINESS WILL BE ADDRESSINGTHE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

HEALSO SAID HE WILL WORK TOSOLVE ISSUES SUCH AS GUNVIOLENCE IN BALTIMORE FOODDESERTDS AND SCHOOL FUNDING"NO VERBATIM" MFUME PREVIOUSLYHELD THIS JOB IN THE 9BEFORE... LEAVING TO BECOMEHEAD OF THE ━DOUBL━━━ P.TONIGHT HE SAID HE PLANS TODEDICATE THE REST HIS TIME ONTHIS EARTH, DOING WHAT HE CANTO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

LIVE INBALTIMORE, RAY STRICKLAND,WMA━2 NEWS.WHILE REPUBLICAN CANDI