The battle over who will be the next mayor of Davenport has been decided.
Current Mayor H.B. Robinson III was reelected, though Theresa Darlene Bradley, the disgraced former mayor, wanted the job back.
Robinson won the election with 531 votes to Bradle’s 230.
Bradley’s mistake made national headlines in 2017 when Polk County deputies recorded her parking in a handicapped spot at city hall. The investigation revealed she was using a stolen handicapped placard that belonged to a deceased woman.
Bradley pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and is now off of probation. She regrets what she did but is ready to move forward.
“It was poor judgment but I apologized. I did everything I had to do,” said Bradley. “It wasn’t right.”
So why did she do it? Bradley explains she was the victim of a violent crime in 2012 and since then has been in fear for her safety after dark. She says many of the council meetings she was attending were lasting well past 10 p.m. and she was willing to pay the fine for parking illegally for peace of mind.
But current mayor H.B. Robinson doesn’t buy that. He says his opponent’s campaign has been filled with lies and mudslinging and the people of Davenport have had enough.
“I think I am the person for this job. I think we don’t need any more embarrassment,” said Robinson. “We don’t need any more of the type of games that they play.”
