Political newcomer Tanmay Shah is on the verge of an upset after unofficial election results showed the attorney leading Cleveland City Council incumbent Danny Kelly by seven votes.

If his lead holds, Shah will be the only new face to successfully unseat a sitting council member this fall in races dominated by incumbents.

Shah, a 29-year-old resident in Cleveland's Jefferson neighborhood, defines himself as a democratic socialist. Backed by endorsements and fundraising from progressive groups like the Better Cleveland for All political action committee and the Working Families Party, he ran his campaign to stand up to what he calls the "establishment" of Cleveland politics.

"For me, it was just seeing a big disconnect what City Hall was doing and what people needed actually on the str

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