D8: Tax Hawk Wins by a Feather

Ellen Troxclair

Ellen Troxclair gave a brief, teary speech to a clump of her closest supporters at the Slaughter Lane Santa Rita Cantina just after 10:30pm Tuesday. A mad rush of counting made them confident: Troxclair led Ed Scruggs in the District 8 run­-off 6,229 to 6,172, just 57 votes. "This election just goes to show you that your vote really does matter. Your voice really does count," she said.

One of three declared conservatives to win a seat on the new 10­-1 Council, Troxclair emphasized that the work is just beginning. "It's been a long journey, and this is the result we wanted, but this is only the start of what we hope to accomplish for the city. This is the first time Southwest Austin is going to have a district representative, but it's also the first time that taxpayers are going to have a voice on City Council."

Ed Scruggs

"Most of you have my cell phone number," she added. "Please use it."

Two hours later, Scruggs still wasn't ready to concede. "We're all so exhausted, and emotionally exhausted, and we're going to look at it in the morning," he said.

The Scruggs campaign staff had hoped a last ­weekend push in Shady Hollow and Westlake could make up some of the deficit. The Circle C Dem, who walked into his party at Chuy's roughly 300 votes behind, said the campaign still had questions about the results and would have a conversation with the county clerk Wednesday morning.

"This doesn't mean we're going to demand a recount. We're just going to make sure we're looking at the right things and asking the right questions," he said.

At press time Scruggs hadn't returned the Chronicle's follow-up calls, but with or without his concession, Troxclair appears more than ready to kick off the next era of City Council.