Fine words, noble sentiments
In the end, then, a clear victory. As expected, sustained a comfortable lead in the elected members section: MPs, MSPs and MEPs.
But, crucially, by a decent margin in the section of the ballot reserved for grassroots party members.
As billed, here and elsewhere, Ms Jamieson came top in the union and affiliates sector - but only just.
He has an evident mandate - as does Johann Lamont who defeated Bill Butler in the contest for deputy leadership.
Both spoke well. Johann Lamont contrived to sound both droll and indignantly determined over Labour's current travails.
Iain Gray said he was out to put things right, promising policy initiatives in areas like knife crime, housing, skills training and devolution where he backed the.
George Foulkes was moved to suggest that the election of Mr Gray reminded him of Tony Blair's victory: with, he forecast, similar prospects for a transformation of the party north of the Border.
Blair putsch
But, outside Labour Party HQ, the atmosphere suddenly seemed somewhat chillier.
Precisely as folk were queuing up to offer congratulations to the new Scottish boss, news was emerging from London of further MPs suggesting that .
It's all inchoate, imprecise: so far, those querying Mr Brown insist they don't have a particular challenger in mind.
But it's eerily reminiscent of the "putsch" against Tony Blair when junior ministers voiced their disquiet - with the exception that, to date, the names this time are rather more junior.
How does Iain Gray cope with that? How to posit a brave new future for Scottish Labour - when the party at Westminster, the Government at Westminster, is facing internal squalls?
The only way, one MSP suggested to me quietly, is for the party in Scotland to focus upon its own fight - the fight against the SNP - and to detach itself to some degree from the conflict at Westminster.
Certainly, Iain Gray favours new departures. In a key section, he said the 2007 manifesto should be set aside - with the focus being upon preparing new policies for the next Holyrood elections. Translation: we lost, get over it.
Secure ground
He also said the by-election defeat in Glasgow East should be absorbed - and the lessons turned into progressive advance for the party in keeping with the authentic interests of the people.
Fine words, noble sentiments: hard to deliver.
Personally, I thought he was on less secure ground with a section which particularly delighted the Labour audience.
That was when he attacked Alex Salmond personally.
To be more precise, he sought to contrast himself with Mr Salmond, suggesting the first minister had pursued an elitist path - St Andrews, economics, the Scottish Office, the Royal Bank, Westminster - while he, Iain Gray, had been a teacher and worked to combat poverty overseas.
Labour liked that section because they loathe Mr Salmond - and nurture the hope that he's personally vulnerable to attack on the grounds of arrogance.
Snag for that theory is that Mr Salmond is also hugely popular - and markedly better known than any of his Labour rivals.
Plus he scarcely fits the elitist badge Mr Gray was trying, by implication, to pin upon him.
Still, this could be intriguing.
I'm 
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