By Tom Scanlon | Scottsdale Progress
Even with thousands of votes to count, Mayor David Ortega seemed to concede a loss to challenger Lisa Borowsky early Wednesday morning.
“Congratulations to Ms. Borowsky, the 13th mayor of Scottsdale,” Ortega said, in an email to the Progress.
But, when asked for clarification, Ortega said he was not conceding: “We have to wait until all votes are counted on my race.”
Wednesday evening, after another release of votes showing Ortega trailing by more than 7%, the mayor made it official, sending out an email titled “Mayor David Ortega Statement Concession 2024 Election.”
His brief statement:
“It has been my honor to serve the residents of Scottsdale as mayor. This was a hard fought campaign, and although my re-election fell short, I thank each and every voter, volunteer, and friend for their support. I congratulate mayor-elect Borowsky for her win.
“She and I disagreed strongly about many issues during this campaign, but I recognize her commitment to the residents of Scottsdale and wish her success.”
With the first 117,267 ballots counted, Borowsky was leading Ortega 53.7% to 46.3%.
“Scottsdale residents have spoken,” Borowsky said, after Ortega’s concession, “Our message of vision-based planning, budget discipline and resident-first engagement resonated widely with Scottsdale voters who came out to support me in this election.”
She thanked her supporters, calling her campaign “a grassroots effort by the residents of Scottsdale for the betterment of our community.
