How to format html based on query value that is a string

Using ASP.NET razor and SQL Server 2008 R2

I have a local variable that is declared thus:

var tsmMtd = db.QueryValue("  
  SELECT  b.Name, SUM(subtotal) totalSUM  
  FROM DR_TRANS a  
  INNER JOIN Staff b ON a.Salesno = b.Staffno  
  WHERE a.salesno in (12,23,28,30)  
    AND a.TRANSDATE >= dateadd(m, datediff(m, 0, getdate()), 0)   
    AND a.REF3 = 'Invoice'  
  GROUP BY b.Name  
  ORDER BY totalSUM DESC  
");

Now that returns an array of names from the table, sorted by sales value. calling it in the HTML later as

@tsmMtd.ToString()  

which prints the topmost name. OK, all good. NOW....

I need to format the text of the page based on that top salesperson. I want their name to go blue if they are the top salesperson.This is what I did on the 'actual sales' figure for a salesperson:

<span class=@(salesval12  > 6000 ? "blue" : "red")>@salesval12.ToString("C")</span>  

This works fine to change the colour of the text if it is over the 6000 value. (classes red and blue are defined higher up the page). So, I did this:

<span class=@(tsmMtd = "CHARLIE JONES" ? "blue" : "red")>Charlie</span>  

but it fails at loading saying Compiler Error Message: CS0029: Cannot implicitly convert type 'string' to 'bool'

OK, so what I need to know is

1. what I am doing wrong
2. what I should be doing

Any and all help much appreciated.