Kerry Thomson wins Democratic primary and will likely be Bloomington's next mayor

Unless there's an incredible upset by a Republican or independent party candidate come November, Democrat Kerry Thomson will be Bloomington's next mayor.

"I'm so grateful and humbled," Thomson said Tuesday night to a room packed with her supporters and elected and defeated Democratic city council members. "What we know is we, as Democrats, lead by listening to the voices of our constituents.

"I am very much looking forward to leading this community and partnering with everyone."

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She said having her party's nomination, and a near-guaranteed win in the general election, doesn't mean the campaigning and listening to citizens are over. Thomson said she and her volunteers will continue knocking on doors until November to hear concerns. "Just because we are a Democratic town doesn't mean our listening stops now."

Thomson vowed to work with council members to move the city forward. "I'm thankful for the opportunity to lead collaboratively with the people in this room." she said. "I want to lead together."

Thomson beat two challengers in the city's Democratic primary election Tuesday. Of the nearly 8,000 votes cast in the mayor's race, Thomson got 43%, compared to 34% for city council member Susan Sandberg and 23% for former deputy mayor and business owner Donald Griffin.

Two-term mayor John Hamilton did not seek a third term. He supported Griffin, who served as his deputy mayor for a year.

Thomson, 49, is CEO of Indiana University's Center for Rural Engagement. She served two decades as the head of Monroe County's Habitat for Humanity chapter before that.

Thomson's campaign had by far the most money in the mayoral race. By April 7, she had raised about $183,000, compared to Griffin's $73,000 and Sandberg's $47,000.

Sandberg: 'I had the skills to be mayor'

Sandberg, the first candidate to enter the race, was watching election returns at the Crazy Horse restaurant Tuesday when it became clear she wouldn't be the winner.

"I'm disappointed," she said from her home after the final results were tallied. "After all those years serving on the council, I knew I had the skills to be mayor and I had the experience to be mayor. I'm sorry the voters saw it a different way."

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She said when she filed for office she thought her opponent would be current mayor John Hamilton, with whom she has butted heads as a city council member. "We have a lot of work ahead of us to repair some of the damage done in recent years inside city hall, and I wanted to be part of that," she said.

Sandberg said it's doubtful she will seek political office again. She planned to be back at city council work Wednesday morning, reviewing applications for social service grants. She has seven months left to serve. "And," she said, "I still have my ukulele band."

Griffin: 'You'll see me again'

Unlike Sandberg, Griffin said he intends to step back into the political arena in the future, despite his third-place finish. For now, "I won't be in the big office, but I'm going to be there with you," he said in a concession speech Tuesday night at Cascades Inn.

"I need us to go forward," he said, calling his campaign "a call to action to all of us to try and be the best we can be … allies, to everyone, in a circle of love."

He shared his vision of Bloomington as an arts, music and cultural center for the Midwest, a goal he will continue to work toward. And he said when he seeks elected office again, he'll get an earlier start.

"You're going to see me," he promised. "You'll see me again."

Contact Herald-Times reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.