Johnny Ford loses mayor's race to former aide

Jet, Oct 7, 1996

Former Tuskegee, AL, Mayor Johnny Ford lost his bid for a seventh term as mayor to Ronald Williams, a former aide who left because Ford chose to run again.

According to unofficial results from the city, Williams easily defeated Ford in the runoff by getting 2,845 votes to the incumbent's 1,035.

The results repeated the finish of the Aug. 27 election, in which Williams finished about 50 votes shy of winning without a runoff.

"l am at peace," Ford said after the loss. "I'll have more time to spend with my family."

Ford was one of the first Blacks in Alabama to unseat a White mayor in 1972.

Williams and Ford met in 1970 when Williams, who was principal of Tuskegee Institute High School, asked Ford, who was working at the U.S. Justice Department, to speak at graduation.

Two years later when Ford was elected mayor, Williams was a constant in the administration until a falling out in 1994 when Williams said Ford promised he would not seek another term.

Ford denied making such a promise.