St. Louis elects first-ever female mayor

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis' newly elected mayor is promising to help the city reduce the sort of violent crime that devastated her own family two decades ago.

Democrat Lyda Krewson easily won over Republican Andrew Jones and four other candidates in the general election Tuesday. Her narrow victory over city Treasurer Tishaura Jones in the March primary made her the odds-on favorite to win the race in the heavily Democratic city.

She will replace St. Louis' only four-term mayor, Francis Slay, who was first elected in 2001 and decided against another run.

Krewson has pledged to work to reduce crime and improve impoverished neighborhoods. She and her two young children were in the car in front of their home in 1995 when her husband, Jeff, was slain during a random carjacking attempt.