Third place mayor finisher Dan Johnson on Tuesday night endorsed Councilman Ron Littlefield for mayor.
Mr. Johnson, who got just under 20 percent of the vote, went by the Littlefield campaign headquarters on 11th Street with a number of his supporters and made a brief speech.
His son, Danny Johnson, said, "He gave a strong endorsement for Ron Littlefield. He felt very strongly that with Ron Littlefield what you see is what you get."
Mr. Littlefield said with the Johnson endorsement "this race is now very winnable. Together we represent rougly 58 percent of the vote."
He said, "I have been in a runoff before in this situation and won it. It is a very winnable race."
Ann Coulter, in her first political contest, picked up 42 percent of the vote.
There will have to be an April 12 runoff since no candidate got a majority.
Mr. Littlefield called it "a very interesting coalition. We are mutually cooperating for the benefit of all the people of Chattanooga."
The veteran councilman said he expects that "the theme of the proprieties and improprieties of the RiverCity Company will continue to be a campaign theme. Both Mr. Johnson and I have similar feelings about that issue."
Ms. Coulter had taken out a TV ad in which she pointed up an old bankruptcy case that Mr. Johnson filed a number of years ago. Mr. Johnson said it involved an effort he made to help his brother in a business that failed.
Ms. Coulter said she believes a number of Dan Johnson supporters will shift to her camp. She said she hopes to speak soon with Mr. Johnson, who had the support of Congressman Zach Wamp and County Mayor Claude Ramsey.