DALLAS (AP) – Choosing a wealthy retired businessman over an openly gay city councilman, voters elected Tom Leppert as Dallas mayor Saturday by a safe margin to lead the nation’s ninth-largest city.

Capping a swift rise from political unknown to the city’s top office, Leppert won the most expensive mayoral race in Dallas history. He received about 58 percent of the vote in the final but unofficial results of the runoff, beating Ed Oakley by more than 13,000 votes.

“I understand the trust and confidence they’ve placed in me,” said Leppert, 53. “I am eager to fulfill that trust and confidence.”

Oakley fell short of making Dallas the largest city in the country to elect an openly gay mayor.

“I can’t tell you what it’s been like … to serve Dallas, change Dallas and put Dallas on a path of greatness,” said Oakley, who received 42 percent of the vote. “I truly believe I’ve been part of that.”

Leppert, who never ran for elected office and never voted in a Dallas mayoral election until this year, is the former CEO of construction giant Turner Corp.

He acknowledges he had scant name recognition when he decided late last year to enter the race to replace outgoing Mayor Laura Miller, who was not seeking re-election.

Nearly 86,000 voted in the runoff, up from 71,400 voters in the May 12 general election in which Oakley and Leppert emerged from a crowded 11-candidate field.

The runoff marks the end of the most expensive political race in Dallas history, pitting a city council insider against a big business outsider. Oakley and Leppert were the top fund-raisers before the May 12 election.

Victory Fund spokesperson Denis Dison said the fact that Oakley reached the runoff indicates gay candidates are making strides in politics.

“This would have been historic,” Dison said. “For the ninth-largest city in the country, and in one of the reddest states in the country – it would have obviously been an amazing achievement.”