Sources close to Mayor Alan Autry said tonight that the mayor will issue a news release Wednesday to announce that he's "voting" for Ashley Swearengin for mayor. Autry has held off endorsing a candidate to succeed him, but has been leaning toward Swearengin because of some statements made by Henry T. Perea in the last weeks of the campaign.
Autry wants to let voters know that he will be voting for Swearengin when he casts his ballot for mayor on Tuesday, according to our sources. Swearengin is scheduled to be on Autry's radio show on Wednesday. The show airs on KYNO, 1300 AM, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Autry, still popular after two terms as mayor, can have an impact on voters if he campaigns for his potential successor. It is not known yet whether Autry will go beyond saying that he will vote for Swearengin.
Autry must step down because of term limits. Perea and Swearengin survived an 11-candidate primary in June to get into Tuesday's runoff election.
UPDATE at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday:
The Swearengin campaign just sent out this news release:
Mayor Alan Autry will be announcing on his radio show this morning who he plans on voting for in next week's mayoral race. To date Autry has not expressed public comments on who he would be supporting, but has chosen his radio show today to make the announcement. Please tune in now to listen to today's show. The show is also podcast live at KYNO.In the 11 o'clock hour Autry's guest will be mayoral candidate Ashley Swearengin.
The Mayor will be available for press interviews and questions, live, immediately following the show at the KYNO studios.
Leave a comment