As the nation swept its first black president into office, Sacramento did the same in City Hall.
Former NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson defeated two-term incumbent Heather Fargo in high-turnout voting.
The final count for Johnson, with all precincts reporting, was 58 percent to Fargo's 42 percent.
Johnson's victory affirmed the city's craving for something decidedly flashier and campaigned on putting Sacramento on the map. During Fargo's tenure, she embraced slow and steady progress in California's capital city, where many workers are employed by state government.
In true celebrity style, the former Phoenix Suns point guard hosted a packed victory party at a posh Mexican restaurant in downtown Sacramento.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
