Correia narrowly survives primary election

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FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) – Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II will be on the ballot for the general election in November, after Tuesday’s preliminary election.

More than 11,000 people voted: 8273 for Paul Coogan, 2777 for Correia, and 2171 for Erica Scott-Pacheco according to the unofficial results.

Correia lost to Coogan by almost 6000 votes, while Correia just barely outraced Scott Pacheco but about 600 votes.

“That’s the voters made their decision on who they want to lead the city tonight and we’re halfway home,” said Paul Coogan. “We got to get to November.”

Correia says they will now have to work double-time to get people to change their vote.

“We still won,” said Correia. “Tonight is a victory.”

Even with the ‘impressive’ turnout noted by the board of elections, Correia says about 75 percent of registered voters did not show up Tuesday, but says he hopes they will in November.

Despite the fact that Correia was just arrested less than two weeks ago on new charges of bribery and extortion, bringing the number of indictments against him to 24, many voters Tuesday told us they solely voted on what they see as Correia’s positive track record as mayor.

“He’s the best mayor we’ve had,” said Antone Amaral.

Erica Scott–Pacheco, the third candidate on the ballot, said she was proud of the campaign they ran as the results came in Tuesday.

“It was a disappointing outcome in that we did not get through the preliminary,” said Scott-Pacheco. “But I’m so proud of every single vote that we earned.”

Correia ultimately blamed the large difference in votes between himself and Coogan on the recent allegations against him.

“A lot of people that have voted for Jasiel Correia, switched their vote tonight. That’s what happened! It’s not that their not Jasiel supporters. They simply switched their vote,” said Correia. “So we’re going to win, and we’re going to win big on November 5.

 Scott-Pacheco is not saying who she’ll be supporting in the general election just yet.

There will be three debates for the two candidates leading up to November

.