This month, Fayette County elected its first African-American to the county commission, the result of a legal fight over at-large voting that many contended was intended to negate growing black political influence.
Democrat Pota Coston beat GOP incumbent Allen McCarty in the contest to represent a new, majority African-American district on the county’s north side.
According to Josh Akeman of the Fayette County News, the welcome that Coston, who takes office in January, received last week from soon-to-be fellow Commissioner David Barlow began well enough -- with a nod to veterans and Martin Luther King Jr. But ultimately, the Republican commissioner gave up on winning that good sportsmanship trophy:
Barlow subsequently quoted a local resident who referred to the county’s shift to district voting as “racist” gerrymandering. From the article:
"So pardon me if I don't buy [sic] the happy-happy-happy view on recent changes in Fayette that stole 4/5ths of every voter's county votes."
Coston, in an apparent display of extreme self-control, deferred comment.
About the Author
