Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic triumphed Tuesday in the third challenge to his lengthy tenure in the past two years.First, he defeated a recall attempt in June 2009, earning the support of 74 percent of the voters. Next, he beat back the most serious challenge he had faced in years in September’s Democratic primary, claiming nearly 54 percent of the vote over Akron Councilman Mike Williams and political newcomer Janice Davis.Plusquellic scored the third victory Tuesday, when he soundly defeated Republican attorney Jennifer Hensal, garnering about 70 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Summit County Board of Elections. The win wasn’t a surprise, with Hensal, a first-time candidate, significantly outmatched in both funds and experience.“Seven times I’ve gone to the ballot to ask the public to put confidence in me to help lead this city,” Plusquellic said Tuesday night during his victory party at Guy’s Party Centre. “I’ve been pleased and honored to have that confidence.”Plusquellic got teary when he went through a long list of thank yous, particularly when he mentioned his mother telling him she was proud of him, and fiery when he touched on Akron attorney Warner Mendenhall, who led the recall attempt against him, and his other adversaries.“You don’t have anywhere to hide,” he said, raising his voice. “I will do what’s right for the citizens. I will not allow them to believe your mistruths.”Plusquellic, already Akron’s longest-serving mayor, will begin his record-setting seventh term with four new members elected to the 13-member City Council. Linda Omobien, an at-large council member, lost her bid for Akron Municipal Court clerk, which would have meant a fifth new council member. Still, the four-person change could mean a shift in the balance of power between those on the council who are supportive of Plusquellic and Council President Marco Sommerville, the mayor’s close ally, and those who aren’t.Plusquellic pledged to spend his new term working on two issues that have long been top priorities for him: bringing jobs to Akron and helping students pursue educational opportunities beyond high school.Hensal, who questioned Akron’s finances, especially because of a recent state audit that put the city in the new category of “fiscal caution,” was gracious in defeat.“I very much appreciate the people who supported me and voted for me,” she said in a phone interview from her party at the Polish American Club. “I congratulate the mayor and wish him the best of luck.”Despite the outcome, Hensal said she thought she did a good job getting out her message.The Akron mayoral race has already broken spending records, with the final campaign finance reports not due until mid-December. The candidates, together with Partners Advancing Akron’s Future, an independent expenditure group backing Plusquellic, have spent more than $500,000, according to the most recent finance reports. This was the first time an independent group, whose formation was permitted under a U.S. Supreme Court decision, had contributed significantly to a local race in the Akron area.The Akron City Council races garnered less interest than this year’s mayor’s race or than they did in 2009, when every ward race was contested and multiple slates competed for the three at-large seats. This time, three of the 10 ward seats — 3, 4 and 5 — weren’t contested in either the primary or general election. Incumbents also easily prevailed in Wards 1, 2 and 9.New members were elected to four ward seats: Bob Hoch, in Ward 6, who defeated Bob Otterman in the primary; Donnie Kammer, in Ward 7, who beat Tina Merlitti in the primary; Marilyn Keith in Ward 8, who won a four-way primary for an open seat; and Garry Moneypenny, in Ward 10, who is returning to the seat he once held.Kelli Crawford, who replaced Moneypenny on the council, chose not to run for re-election because of a new job. The four new members all defeated Republican challengers in Tuesday’s election, continuing the council’s all-Democratic lineup. Jim Hurley, Ward 1, beat his GOP opponent and Kurtis Liston, a Libertarian candidate who was the first official third-party candidate to run for the Akron council.Keith, the wife of former Ward 8 councilman and current Council Clerk Bob Keith, said many expect her to be supportive of Plusquellic and Sommerville, as her husband generally was when he was on the council. But she said, she’s “not Bob” and will vote how she wants.“I will do what’s best for Ward 8,” Keith, who will be one of only two women on the council, said as she greeted voters outside of a polling place in her ward Tuesday morning.Moneypenny, who served on the council from 2002 to 2007 and recently retired as chief deputy of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, said only five of the members he served with during his previous tenure are still on the council. He is hopeful that Plusquellic and the new council will be able to work together.“We have this mayor for four years. We have this council for two years,” he said. “We’re going to have to find a way to get along and hopefully move forward with the issues involving the city.”In a related issue, Akron voters overwhelmingly approved a charter amendment that will require the city council to adopt legislation by March instituting a public speaking period during council meetings.Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Staff writer Rick Armon contributed to this report.