District 1 candidate Butch Palmer, who came in third in Tuesday's election with nearly 19 percent of the vote, has endorsed Matt Aitken.

Mr. Aitken and Bill Fennoy face off Dec. 1 in the race to fill Betty Beard's seat on the Augusta Commission.

In an ongoing news conferernce at attorney Joe Neal's office on Telfair Street, he says he'll be hitting the pavement campaigning for Mr. Aitken during the next month. He says he'll ask all 430 people who voted for him Tuesday, and then some, to return to the polls for Mr. Aitken.

"I can get them back to the polls, and I believe I can get more," Mr. Palmer said.

As for negative comments Mr. Palmer made about Mr. Aitken after the ballots were counted Tuesday, Mr. Palmer conceded that was "sour grapes."

"It was just the sting of the loss," he said.

Mr. Palmer said he believes Mr. Aitken will support passing a Chronic Nuisance Properties Ordinance dealing with landlords who rent to crime-committing tenants, a central platform point for Mr. Palmer.

They differ on building a trade, exhibit and event center -- Mr. Aitken said he'd vote to float bonds to build the TEE center on Reynolds Street for $38 million, Mr. Palmer said he doesn't want to spend any more than the $29 million the city already has on hand.

"In politics, you don't always agree, but I agree to disagree," Mr. Palmer said.

He said he can't support Mr. Fennoy because of comments he made Tuesday night saying the commission's 5-5 racial split needs to be preserved. Mr. Palmer said the election should be about issues, not race.

Reach Johnny Edwards at (706) 823-3225 or johnny.edwards@augustachronicle.com