State Representative Beverly Marrero will soon be state Senator Beverly Marrero after a bigger-than-expected win last Thursday in the special Democratic Primary election for District 30 — where, if she defeats Republican Larry Parrish in March, she will succeed (from left)former District 30 senator (now congressman) Steve Cohen and current interim senator Shea Flinn
Marrero had 2,810 votes to 925 for former city attorney Spence, winning 73 percent to 24 percent. Spence, a highly touted candidate for the Memphis school board in 2004, has now suffered two successive electoral defeats.
The ease of Marrero’s victory seemed all the more impressive, given Spence’s extensive use of advertising media, including bus-stop signs and billboards.
A significant force for Marrero was the Get-Out-the-Vote effort organized for her by longtime Democratic activist David Upton.
Though some residue of bitterness remains in party ranks after the primary, the mathematics of the outcome would seem to give Marrero a healthy cushion and to minimize the chances of an upset by the GOP’s Parrish in the general election of March 13.
