Roy West made a successful comeback, winning the 2023 mayoral election with 52 percent of the vote.
BEAUMONT, Texas – Roy West won Beaumont’s 2023 mayoral election on Saturday, beating Mayor Mouton and challenger James Eller Jr.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” West said. “I’m just full of gratitude”
This is the second time West has faced off against Mayor Mouton. After the 2021 election ended in a runoff, West lost to Mayor Mouton by a narrow margin.
Related: Roy West wins the 2023 Beaumont mayoral election, beating incumbent Robin Mouton and candidate James Eller Jr.
“Two years ago, when Roy West and Robin Mouton faced off, it was about the outcome,” said Thomas Taschinger, a political analyst. “Although, Roy West didn’t get 50 percent or more, so there was a runoff and Robin won.”
West made a successful comeback, winning the 2023 mayoral election with 52 percent of the vote.
“Saying, “It’s time for a change. We can do better.’ That will be their message,” Taschinger said. “Sometimes, it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. This time he did it for him.”
According to Taschinger, only 23 percent of Beaumont residents went to the polls. More than 8,000 residents voted for West and more than 7,000 voted for Mouton.
“It just got more followers,” Taschinger said. “When Robin Mouton won two years ago, she was the first black woman to win the mayoral race. It was a motivating factor.”
On Saturday night, Mouton told 12News that an ad posted by West about his trip to Las Vegas was not real.
“To say someone spent $30,000 on a trip to Vegas and called Vegas Exotic, that was beneath me,” West said.
Taschinger said he can understand Mouton’s frustrations.
“I can understand why she’s upset,” Taschinger said. “He’s right that all mayors travel and many conventions are held in places like Las Vegas.”
The political analyst believes that even with a victory under his belt, the work for West is just beginning.
“It’s a constant challenge to get more businesses downtown, to stop the flat population that Beaumont has had for years,” Taschinger said.
12News reached out to West Sunday for comment on his campaign ad targeting Mayor Mouton and did not hear back in time for this post.
