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THE TOP OF VOTE IN LAST NIGHT’S PRELIMINARY ELECTION. SERA:SERA: THE TOP TWO FINISHERS HAD TO NOVEMBER BASED ON THE NUMBERS IN THE EMBATTLED INCUMBENT MAYOR HAS AN UPHILL BATTLE. >> WE’RE STILL IN THIS THING AND WE’RE IN IT TO WIN IT. OPTIMISM FROM EMBATTLED MAYOR JASIEL CORREIA DESPITE A DISTANT SECOND PLACE FINISH IN FALL RIVER’S PRELIMINARY ELECTION LAST NIGHT, BUT ENOUGH TO PROPEL HIM TO NOVEMBER, CHALLENGER PAUL COOGAN TOOK MORE THAN 8200 VOTES, COMPARED TO CORREIA WITH JUST UNDER 3000. >> NOW WE STRATEGIZE HOW TO TO CLOSE THAT GAP. IF ANYONE THINKS THAT IS NOT HARD TO THEY ARE NOT BEING TRUTHFUL. OF COURSE IT HURTS BUT I GOT TO WORK HARD TO EARN VOTES BACK. SERA: MAYOR CORREIA IS FIGHTING TWO FEDERAL CASES AFTER BEING INDICTED FOR EXTORTION AND FRAUD. HE DENIES THE ALLEGATIONS, AND HAS REMAINED IN OFFICE DESPITE BEING RECALLED BY VOTERS LAST MARCH, AND FOLLOWED BY A CITY COUNCIL VOTE TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE POSITION. >> I THINK WE HAVE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE BUT HE’S GOING TO HAVE TO DO HIS OWN SOUL SEARCHING FOR WHAT HE THINKS. SERA: CHALLENGER PAUL COOGAN SAYS CITY HALL NEEDS NEW AND BETTER LEADERSHIP. THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER, AND FORMER HS VICE PRINCIPAL, PLANS TO WORK ON REGAINING VOTERS TRUST IN GOVERNMENT. >> I ALWAYS SAY WITHIN 60 DAYS I HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF VISITING EVERY PIECE OF PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF FALL RIVER, AND MEETING THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE AND ASK WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER TO SUPPORT THEM. SERA: THE CITY COUNCIL IS MEETING TONIGHT TO DEC

Advertisement Embattled Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia finishes 2nd in primary, moves on to November election Paul Coogan finished first with 62.6%

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Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia has advanced to the Nov. 5 general election after finishing second in Tuesday's preliminary election.Correia, who is facing multiple federal corruption charges, finished behind Paul Coogan, a two-time school committee member. As the top two vote-getters, Coogan and Correia are advancing to the general election.According to unofficial results, Coogan received 8,273 votes (62.6%) while Correia received 2,777 (21.0%). Third-place finisher Erica Scott-Pacheco, a community advocate, received 16.4% of the vote with 2,171 ballots cast in her favor.According to the Fall River Herald, Coogan told supporters Tuesday that a “tough campaign” lies ahead before the general election and implored the crowd to enlist family in order to “finish this job and repair our city now.”“People rightfully deserve and demand better leadership, honesty and more openness from their mayor. They deserve someone who’s not in it for the power, for the money, but because they are just like you,” said Coogan."Of course it hurts," Correia said. "We've won every single election I've run for mayor, OK, and we're going to win in November. But that's a spread that we've got to close, and that's a big gap to close. So now we strategize on how to close that gap."If anybody thinks, you know, that that's not hard, they're not being truthful. Of course it's hard, of course it hurts. But hey, I've got to work hard to earn those people's votes back."The 27-year-old Correia pleaded not guilty this month to extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from marijuana companies. He's also pleaded not guilty to federal charges he defrauded investors in a smartphone app he was developing.Last week, the City Council voted to temporarily remove Correia from office, but Correia has refused to leave, saying the council lacks the authority.As Fall River voters headed to the polls Tuesday, the marijuana extortion case against the embattled mayor moved forward in Boston.Antonio Costa, 51, of Fall River, and David Hebert, 54, of Westport, both pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of extortion, conspiracy and making false statements and were released pending their sentencing.Authorities say the two men served as "middlemen" for Correia as he accepted cash bribes in exchange for issuing official letters needed to obtain a state license to operate a marijuana retail business. At least four business owners paid a total of $600,000 in bribes, authorities say.Documents unsealed Tuesday also show that Hildegar Camara, who was appointed by Correia to head a local job training program, has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. The 58-year-old Fall River resident faces extortion and conspiracy charges, was placed on paid leave from his government job this week, and is due in court Thursday.The fourth co-conspirator in the case is Correia's former chief of staff, Genoveva Andrade. The 48-year-old Somerset resident hasn't yet entered a formal plea to charges including extortion, conspiracy, and bribery.Correia was once a rising political star in Massachusetts after becoming the old mill city's youngest mayor when he was elected in 2015 at age 23.The Democrat has proven resilient at the ballot box. He survived a bizarre March election in which he was recalled by voters and then promptly reelected the same night.The Associated Press contributed to this report.