CLEVELAND — One fellow politician sees Mayor-elect Jane Campbell as a consensus builder who is likely to bring a less combative style to City Hall when she succeeds Mayor Michael White.

        Ms. Campbell, 48, a county commissioner and former state lawmaker, won 54 percent of the vote Tuesday to beat fellow Democrat Raymond Pierce in the nonpartisan election and become the city's first female mayor.

        “I am a team builder seeking to engage the community, to build a strong team to make our schools strong, our neighborhoods safe and create and retain good jobs for Clevelanders,” Ms. Campbell said Wednesday.

        Ms. Campbell, who asked to respond to questions in writing because she was hoarse from the campaign, said she was ready to build on Mr. White's legacy.

        “I will build on the work that Michael R. White did to move our city forward,” she said.

        “He was the right mayor for his time, when Cleveland needed forceful leadership to forge a comeback. I am the right leader for this time, when we need to build bridges to the future.”

        Mr. White and Ms. Campbell met privately Wednesday, but the mayor's office said he would have no comment on the election.

        Mr. White has feuded publicly with the City Council and the police union and, in recent years, had differed with the Plain Dealer, the city's only daily newspaper, which had been a White supporter.

        The newspaper, which endorsed Ms. Campbell, said she would bring a needed change to City Hall. “Her healing touch will be welcome,” the paper said in an editorial.

        State Sen. Eric Fingerhut, D-Cleveland, who has worked with both Ms. Campbell and Mr. White, said the two have “an encyclopedic, in-depth knowledge of the issues” and big appetites for hard work.

        As for style differences, Mr. Fingerhut said, “Mike White is someone who generally has a well-formed, strongly held view on important issues from the get-go, and his style is to find those people who agree with him on the issue and seek to overwhelm those who disagree with him.”

        Mr. Fingerhut said Ms. Campbell's style is more collaborative.

        “Jane Campbell is someone who tries to build a consensus position on a controversial issue rather than starting out by saying, "This is absolutely where I am.' She starts out by saying, "Let's talk to begin building a consensus.'”

        Mr. Fingerhut said Mr. White had collected his share of political enemies during his 12 years in office, the longest tenure of any Cleveland mayor.

        “What you saw at the end of 12 years of the White administration, which I believe was tremendously successful, was an awful lot of hard feelings,” Mr. Fingerhut said.

        Mr. Fingerhut was Mr. White's campaign manager in 1989 and was a state senator while Ms. Campbell was a state representative.

Officer won't be tried again in Owensby case
Juror tells why she held out
Feds won't prosecute officers
Mayor Luken sets new course
CAN reveals agenda for year
Port authority in mayor's plan
Votes for mayor split sharply by race
Area voter turnout of 30%-plus met expectations
Clermont agency might ask levy again
Freedom center gets $3M more
More hosts needed for talks on race
New council suits Norwood mayor
New CPS board told to begin with goals
Numbers add up quickly for UC students
Postal center in Queensgate gets random check for anthrax
Recounts possible in three townships
Stadium playoffs revenue divvied
Tristate A.M. Report
PULFER: It's a deal
Butler County bus alternatives sought
Fairfield schools look for ways to cut budget
First time is charm in Fairfield
Hamilton mayor race a surprise
Monroe school board buys land for new, single school
New faces on council plan sweep in Lebanon
Newcomers outline their goals
Proposal would end rivalry
Student's dad faces charge in gun incident at bus stop
Anti-terror bill on Deters' platform
Byrd's defense unveils surprise
New mayor, new style in Cleveland
Regents chief: Schools are squeezed enough
Tougher baggage screens costly, slow, airlines say
County candidate out of race
Dem bids for Kenton attorney
Departments get Police Corps grads
New Ky. technical college gets leader
Tattered flags get fiery send-off