19th time not the charm for Bartow Council candidate | News

Bartow, Florida -- Bartow native Gerald Cochran was hoping his 19th shot at a spot on Bartow's city council would be the one.

It wasn't.

On Tuesday, Cochran lost to incumbent James Clements, who garnered almost 74% of the vote. Cochran got about a thrid of that.

When he isn't sitting in front of the Bartow home he was born and raised in 73 years ago, Gerald Cochran is often in front of the Bartow City Council. Often a thorn in their side.

"Just a watchdog," says Cochran, "I represent all the citizens, not just me."

Cochran ran on a platform of "trimming the fat".

"I would say the way things are going now they could be reduced to 50 percent," he said in February.

Although he lost - again, don't count Cochran out.

He said last month that if he lost, he'd almost certainly run again as long as he has his health.

His grandmother, Cochran says, lived to be 104. So he expects he may still have several elections left in him.