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In New York, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani made history as the city’s youngest mayor in a century. In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger became the state’s first female governor, and Ghazala Hashmi broke barriers as the first Muslim woman elected to statewide office in the U.S.

Closer to home, Bill Saffo once again secured the trust of Wilmington voters, winning his 18^th straight year as mayor — marking a decade of consecutive terms.

In today’s Port City Pulse:

• Bill Saffo Wins 18^th Straight Term

• Projected Winners Announced Across the Cape Fear Region

Bill Saffo Wins 18^th Straight Term as Wilmington Mayor

WWAY- Bill Saffo has been re-elected as Wilmington’s mayor for the 18^th consecutive year, marking an unprecedented tenth term in office. At his watch party, Saffo expressed gratitude to his family and the community, calling Wilmington “like a family” and emphasizing his appreciation for continued voter support. Challenger Billy Craig, who ran a low-budget campaign, also shared pride in his grassroots efforts and community engagement.

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Projected Winners Announced Across the Cape Fear Region

NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Election results are in across the Cape Fear region, with longtime Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo poised to secure another term after a commanding lead with 12,093 votes, ahead of challengers Billy Craig (7,411) and Jonathan Barfield (5,067).

In the race for Wilmington City Council, JC Lyle, Cassidy Santaguida, and Chakema Clinton-Quintana appear set to take the top three seats, earning 11,875, 11,568, and 11,464 votes respectively. Luke Waddell and Richard Collier followed with strong showings, but fell short of the top tier.

Carolina Beach voters re-elected Lynn Barbee as mayor with 1,092 votes, while Wayne Rouse and Vince Losito are projected to return to the town council. Kure Beach will see Allen Oliver continue as mayor, with Byron Ashbridge and Mark Dirks claiming commissioner seats. Over in Wrightsville Beach, McKinley Dull led decisively in the mayoral race, while Todd Schoen and Margaret Baggett topped the Board of Aldermen results.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY

In Brunswick County, a mix of incumbents and fresh faces are emerging as likely winners. Peter Quinn is projected to become mayor of Bald Head Island, and Jesse Hermann leads the vote for village council. Alan Holden retains his long-standing position as mayor of Holden Beach, while Liz White narrowly trails in Oak Island’s mayoral race behind Christopher Brown (1,551 votes to 1,493).

Southport’s mayoral contest leaned toward Joe Pat Hatem, who leads Rich Alt by more than 350 votes, while Katie Bordeaux, Bonnie Bray, and Paul Gross appear to have secured council positions. In Sunset Beach, Shannon Phillips captured a decisive win for mayor with 1,321 votes, and Katie Bordeaux led the town council race with 1,482 votes.

PENDER COUNTY

Further north, Olivia Dawson is projected to become mayor of Burgaw, defeating incumbent challengers with 142 votes. In Surf City, Andy Pleil and Hugh Canady took the lead for town council, while Frank Braxton appears set to win the Topsail Beach mayoral race with 202 votes.

Regional Takeaway

Across New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties, voters turned out in steady numbers to reaffirm familiar leadership in many coastal communities while ushering in new faces in smaller towns. With nearly all precincts reporting, these results are expected to hold barring any late-counted provisional ballots.

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News Roundup

Local News

A Wilmington couple won $1 million from a $10 scratch-off ticket, and they plan to use the winnings to buy a new home and support their family. The Lucky Loteria ticket was purchased at a local Harris Teeter, and the couple can claim the prize as a $600,000 lump sum or $50,000 annually over 20 years. WECT

The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about scammers impersonating police officers to demand payments or personal information. The scammers often claim victims missed jury duty and instruct them to pay fines via gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers, or to provide sensitive personal data. WECT

New Hanover County saw record voter turnout in this year’s municipal elections, with early voting up more than 50% compared to 2023. Over 12,000 early ballots were submitted, and by 4 p.m. on Election Day, more than 10,000 residents had voted in person, according to county election officials. WWAY

What You Should Know

Democrat Abigail Spanberger has won Virginia’s governor’s race, defeating Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to become the state’s first female governor and flip party control. Spanberger’s campaign focused on economic issues, public safety, and abortion rights, giving Democrats renewed momentum following their 2024 election losses. NBC News

More than 375,000 Jeep SUVs are being recalled due to a fire risk linked to faulty batteries in certain plug-in hybrid models, prompting Stellantis to urge owners to park their vehicles outside and avoid recharging until repairs are made. The recall affects 2020–2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe and 2022–2026 Grand Cherokee 4xe models after 19 reported fires and one injury. WECT

At least seven people are dead and 11 injured after a UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded during takeoff from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the numbers are likely to rise as investigators assess the violent crash that occurred Tuesday evening. Associated Press

“Big Short” investor Michael Burry has placed a $1.1 billion bet against the AI boom, targeting Nvidia and Palantir stocks. The famed investor behind the 2008 housing crash trade believes the rapid rise in AI-related valuations mirrors the 1999 tech bubble, warning that a correction may be imminent. Yahoo

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