KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With just over 60% of the vote, Kevin King defeated Independence Councilwoman Dr. Bridget McCandless in Tuesday night's election and will become the next mayor of Independence.
King, the former Roofers Local 20 business manager, is a lifelong resident of Independence.
One of the big issues in the mayoral race was support for the construction of a massive data center approved by the Independence City Council.
King told KSHB 41 News Independence reporter Tod Palmer that he supported the data center in a pre-election questionnaire from Palmer.
"This is the kind of project Independence needs if we are serious about growing our economy and strengthening our financial future. The data center brings long-term investment, expands our tax base, and creates opportunity for our city to compete again," King said. "Just as important, these projects must be built the right way. That means strong labor agreements, local workers, and a focus on safety from day one. We have skilled trades in this region, and they should be the ones doing this work. Supporting the project does not mean walking away from oversight. The city must stay engaged, enforce the agreement, and make sure the benefits promised to our residents are actually delivered."
King also told Palmer what his priorities would be if elected mayor.
"Public safety comes first," King said. "That means making sure our police, fire, and emergency services have what they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. Beyond that, we need to invest in the basics that people see every day — roads, infrastructure, and neighborhood stability. We also need to take a hard look at long-term financial health so we are not constantly cutting services or falling behind.
We hear in every corner of this community how important it is to bring back public transportation. That has to be near the top of the list."
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