Lorenzo Langford

Hon. Lorenzo T. Langford
Mayor of Atlantic City
In office
2008 – present
Preceded by Scott K. Evans
Mayor of Atlantic City
In office
2001–2005
Preceded by Jim Whelan
Succeeded by Bob Levy
Atlantic City Councilman
In office
1992–2001
Personal details
Nationality American
Political party Democratic

Lorenzo Tyrone Langford is the Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey and the resort city's second African American mayor.

Biography

Langford was educated in the Atlantic City public school system and graduated from Atlantic City High School, Class of 1974. He first went to Atlantic Community College and then to North Carolina Central University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. Langford worked at casinos for 10 years, first as a dealer and eventually as a pit boss, but left when he was elected to City Council.

In 1992, Langford ran for City Council in the Fourth Ward and defeated the incumbent Council President in an upset. He was twice re-elected to his ward seat while unsuccessfully running for mayor in 1993 and 1997 against incumbent Jim Whelan.[1][2]

On November 6, 2001, Langford was elected mayor, defeating Whelan 56 to 43 percent on the strength of absentee ballots.[3]

Langford left office at the end of his term after losing the 2005 primary to Bob Levy.

In the special election mayoral primary in June 2008 following Levy's resignation, Langford defeated incumbent mayor Scott Evans. Langford easily won the special mayoral election on November 4, 2008 by a wide margin to serve out the remainder of Levy's term.

Backed by the local Democratic organization,[4] Langford won a contentious June 2009 primary election against 2nd Ward Councilman Martin Small, who was supported by Whelan. In the November General Election, Langford won a full four year term by defeating Republican candidate Jesse Kurtz with nearly a three to one margin.[1] New Jersey's Attorney General has brought voter fraud charges against Small and 13 campaign workers[5] for allegedly submitting absentee ballots for people who did not vote. A jury found them not guilty in March 2011.[6]

References

  1. ^ Gros, Roger (May, 2005), Mayoral Showdown: Interview with Lorenzo Langford, Casino Connection, http://casinoconnectionac.com/issue/may_2005/article/mayoral_showdown__interview_with_lorenzo_langford, retrieved 2009-06-09 
  2. ^ Official Biography from Atlantic City's website http://cityofatlanticcity.org/con_gov_mayorsoffice_geninfo.asp
  3. ^ Brief (November 14, 2001), Whelan Concedes Election, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/14/nyregion/metro-briefing-new-jersey-atlantic-city-whelan-concedes-election.html, retrieved 2009-06-09 
  4. ^ Pizarro, Max (May 28, 2009), Into final stretch in AC, both mayoral candidates must maintain fundraising mode, Politicker NJ, http://www.politickernj.com/max/30125/final-stretch-ac-both-mayoral-candidates-must-maintain-fundraising-mode, retrieved 2009-06-09 
  5. ^ Atlantic City Councilman Marty Small and 13 Individuals Who Worked on His Mayoral Campaign Indicted on Charges They Conspired in Fraudulent Messenger Ballot Schemes, Attorney General's Press Release, June 5, 2009, http://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases09/pr20090903d.html, retrieved 2009-09-03 
  6. ^ Jury clears Atlantic City councilman, 5 co-defendants in voter fraud trial, Star-Ledger, March 18, 2011, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/jury_clears_atlantic_city_coun.html, retrieved 2011-03-18 
Political offices
Preceded by
Scott K. Evans		 Mayor of Atlantic City
2008–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Jim Whelan		 Mayor of Atlantic City
2001–2005		 Succeeded by
Bob Levy