LOS ANGELES, May 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Los Angeles city councilman Antonio Villaraigosa ousted incumbent Jim Hahn from the mayor's office in Tuesday's election, results reported Wednesday morning showed.

    Villaraigosa, who will become the city's first Latino mayor since 1872, said Hahn conceded defeat "in a gracious manner" shortly after midnight.

    With 99.81 percent of precincts counted, Villaraigosa had 59 percent of the vote, while Hahn had 41 percent.

    "If my mother were here tonight, she'd say, 'Antonio, don't declare victory, declare your purpose,'" Villaraigosa said to roars of approval from his supporters.

    "So let's declare our purpose here and now," he said. "Our purpose is to bring this great city together. Our purpose is to draw fully and equally on the rich diversity of all of our communities and neighborhoods. Our purpose is to believe in our young people. Our purpose is to make a difference."

    In losing the race, Hahn became the first Los Angeles mayor to lose a re-election bid since Tom Bradley defeated Sam Yorty in 1973. Enditem