Samuel won the race in Washington state with an overwhelming margin.
By Raif Karerat
(Courtesy: YouTube)
Attorney Vini Samuel is slated to become the first female and Indian American mayor of Montesano, Washington, after a landslide victory on Nov. 3, defeating incumbent Ken Estes with aplomb.
Samuel received more than 67 percent of the vote, leading 762 to 366, when Estes conceded, according to The Daily World. The election will be certified on Nov. 24.
“It’s wonderful, it’s exciting and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude,” Samuel stated following Estes’ conceding the race. “This has always been about Montesano and coming together as one town and trying to get things done. I think the race went perfectly. We worked really hard and I appreciate the show of confidence. I think we ran a pretty solid, positive campaign. The goal was always about coming together and keeping the city of Montesano as the focus of the conversation.”
Samuel, who has previously served on Montesano’s city council, said she was campaigning on the issue of transparency in city politics.
“I think this tells us that voters want to focus on the goals I set out,” Samuel said. “They want to focus on making Montesano better and building together toward a better future with trust.”
Samuel, who was born in Quilon, Kerala, and raised in Juneau, Alaska, and characterized the tiny town of Montesano as “a little piece of Americana.” Samuel attended Western Washington University, where she received a B.A. in history and English literature; she obtained her law degree from Seattle University.
On being the first woman to assume the role of Mayor in Montesano, “If that helps any girl decide she wants to run for an elected position, I think that’s a great thing,” Samuel said.