Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.

Mayoral election in Tampa, Florida (March 5, 2019 general election)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search



2023 →
← 2016
2019 Tampa elections
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Election dates
Filing deadline: January 18, 2019
General election: March 5, 2019
Runoff election: April 23, 2019
Election stats
Offices up: Mayor and all 7 city council seats
Total seats up: 8 (click here for other city elections)
Election type: Nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2019

Former police chief Jane Castor and philanthropist David Straz advanced past five other candidates in the March 5 general election for Tampa's open mayoral seat. Bob Buckhorn, Tampa's mayor, was term-limited and unable to run for re-election. Transportation and congestion relief were the major issues in this race.

Castor received 48 percent of the vote to Straz's 15 percent. Castor won 101 of the city's 103 precincts, while Straz won the other two.[1] The other five candidates were Harry Cohen, Dick Greco Jr., Topher Morrison, Mike Suarez, and Ed Turanchik.

As of Jan. 22, Straz raised $1.6 million while Castor raised $222,000. Turanchik raised $215,000.

Joe Henderson of Florida Politics noted that money, however, had played less of a role in previous mayoral elections. "In past campaigns to be Tampa Mayor, money hasn’t mattered as much as personal relationships, often forged years ago and strengthened over time," Henderson said.[2]

Castor had the most endorsements in the race, including the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay Lightning Owner Jeff Vinik, and EMILY's List. Straz had endorsements from local unions such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and United Food and Commercial Workers. Councilman Mike Suarez received the endorsement of former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham (D).

Mayoral elections in Tampa are officially nonpartisan, though candidates are typically members of a political party. Tampa's mayor is one of 18 Democratic mayorships up for election in 2019, while Republicans and independents each hold another four. No matter who wins the Tampa race, control of the city will not change partisan hands—FOX 13 said that all candidates identify as members of the Democratic Party.[3]

Tampa residents voted on all seven members of the city council in the March 5 election. Click here for more information on those races.[4]

Tampa voter? Dates you need to know.
Candidate Filing DeadlineJanuary 18, 2019
Registration DeadlineFebruary 4, 2019
Early VotingFebruary 25 - March 3, 2019
General ElectionMarch 5, 2019
Runoff ElectionApril 23, 2019
Voting information
Polling place hours7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day.

Election updates

  • March 5, 2019: No candidate received a majority of the votes in the general election. Jane Castor (48 percent) and David Straz (15 percent) advanced to the runoff election.
  • February 22, 2019: The Florida Sentinel Bulletin endorsed David Straz.
  • February 20, 2019: The Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association endorsed Jane Castor. The Hillsborough County Black Democratic Caucus endorsed Topher Morrison. Muslims for Democracy and Fairness endorsed David Straz.

For a full timeline of events, click here.

Candidates and election results

General runoff election

General runoff election for Mayor of Tampa

Jane Castor defeated David Straz in the general runoff election for Mayor of Tampa on April 23, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jane Castor
Jane Castor (Nonpartisan)
 
73.1
 
38,859
Image of David Straz
David Straz (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
26.9
 
14,300

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 53,159
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

General election

General election for Mayor of Tampa

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Tampa on March 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jane Castor
Jane Castor (Nonpartisan)
 
48.0
 
23,324
✔
Image of David Straz
David Straz (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
15.5
 
7,522
Image of Harry Cohen
Harry Cohen (Nonpartisan)
 
12.2
 
5,907
Image of Ed Turanchik
Ed Turanchik (Nonpartisan)
 
8.9
 
4,320
Image of Dick Greco Jr.
Dick Greco Jr. (Nonpartisan)
 
8.6
 
4,158
Image of Mike Suarez
Mike Suarez (Nonpartisan)
 
5.1
 
2,462
Image of Topher Morrison
Topher Morrison (Nonpartisan)
 
1.7
 
839
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Reginald Howard (Nonpartisan)
 
0.0
 
0
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
80

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 48,612
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages

The candidates below have either led in polls, received support from U.S. elected officials, or been mentioned by media coverage as top contenders. They are listed in alphabetical order.


Jane Castor
Jane Castor.jpg

Campaign website Facebook

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Castor was born in Tampa, attending Chamberlain High School and the University of Tampa. She spent 31 years working for the Tampa Police Department, eventually becoming the first woman to serve as Police Chief.[5]

Key messages
  • One of Castor's top priorities was public safety. She highlighted her experience as police chief and said that crime was reduced by 72 percent under her leadership.[6]
  • Castor said that traffic congestion in Tampa needs to be addressed. Her website said she will "use the skills learned in city leadership to effectively keep people and traffic moving."[6]





David Straz
David Straz.jpg

Campaign website Facebook

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Straz was born in Wisconsin, where he attended Marquette University and eventually opened a network of 26 community banks in southeast Wisconsin. Straz moved to Tampa in 1980 and opened a network of 21 community banks in the area. Straz eventually sold his businesses and started the David A. Straz, Jr. Foundation, which focuses on philanthropy in higher education, healthcare, and culture.[7]

Key messages
  • Straz highlighted what he calls the "Qualify of Life Cabinet" as his most important issue. "Protecting and improving our quality of life will be my signature issue as mayor. I’m going to reorganize city government and make sure we improve the quality of life in all our neighborhoods," he wrote.[8]
  • At a candidate forum in mid-January, Straz said one of his priorities as mayor would be to decrease the city's current $1 billion budget by 10 percent. He did, however, say he would not settle on a specific amount until an audit of the budget was completed.[9]





Mike Suarez, Tampa councilman
Mike Suarez.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Tampa Bay City Council (Assumed office: 2011)

Biography: Suarez was born in Tampa, earning a bachelor's and an M.P.A. from the University of South Florida. Suarez works in the insurance industry, and at the time of the 2019 campaign was Vice President for Insurance Office of America (IOA), the largest privately held insurance agency in Florida. He worked as an intern, staff assistant, and district representative for U.S. Sen. Bob Graham (D) in the early 1990s.[10]

Key messages
  • Suarez highlighted the issues of better police and fire coverage, along with more efficient transportation, as key issues in his mayoral campaign.[11]
  • Suarez said that a main focus of his would be the city's neighborhoods. "We need to make the neighborhoods the center of our civic life. Every single neighborhood needs to be strong," he told the Tampa Bay Times.[12]





Ed Turanchik
Ed Turanchik.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Nonpartisan

Incumbent: No

Political office: Hillsborough County Commission (1990-1998)

Biography: Turanchik moved from Ohio to Tampa in 1987. He earned his J.D. from Ohio State University, a master's degree from Michigan State University, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati. He helped found the law firm Zinober and Burr, and also started InTown Homes, a housing investment firm.[13]

Key messages
  • Turanchik ran on his "Tampa Go Plan," which is aimed at creating a "seamless, affordable and convenient mobility system that serves most of Tampa." His website said that the plan aimed at easing congestion will focus on using new transit technologies on existing streets, freight rail corridors, and the waterways.[14]
  • Turanchik said the city needs a plan for new housing initiatives and developing older commercial corridors. He specifically highlighted creating "more affordable home and rental options" along with creating new programs that help low-income homeowners repair their homes.[14]



Campaign finance


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
2019 Tampa mayoral election
Poll Castor CohenStrazSuarezTuranchikSomeone ElseUnsureMargin of errorSample size
St. Pete Polls
March 3, 2019		 36%11%14%7%8%15%10%+/-4.2540
Bold Blue Campaigns
February 21, 2019		 39%7%17%15%9%6%7%+/-4.5450
St. Pete Polls
February 4, 2019		 45%8%13%6%7%11%11%+/-4.7429
St. Pete Polls
July 24, 2018		 41%7%11%7%7%8%19%+/-4.4496
St. Pete Polls
May 10, 2018		 47%5%8%6%10%8%16%+/-4.8424
AVERAGES 41.6% 7.6% 12.6% 8.2% 8.2% 9.6% 12.6% +/-4.52 467.8
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Endorsements

Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Jane Castor

Harry Cohen

  • Surly Feminists for the Revolution[22]
  • Democratic Progressive Caucus of Tampa Bay[23]
  • Emgage PAC[24]

Topher Morrison

  • Hillsborough County Black Democratic Caucus[25]

David Straz

  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 824[26]
  • Northwest Florida Chapter of Black Women in Construction[26]
  • United Food and Commercial Workers 1625[26]
  • International Union of Operating Engineers Local 487-District 925[26]
  • Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 123[26]
  • Muslims for Democracy and Fairness[25]
  • Florida Sentinel Bulletin[27]

Mike Suarez

  • Tampa Firefighters local union[28]
  • Amalgmated Transit local union[28]
  • Former governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham (D)[29]

Ed Turanchik

Campaign themes

Candidate survey

Candidate Connection Logo - stacked.png

Ballotpedia invites candidates to participate in its annual survey.
Click here to fill out the survey.

Jane Castor

Castor’s campaign website stated the following:

“
  • Tampa is booming. But we can do even better. In Jane’s 58 years of being Tampa born, Tampa raised, Tampa educated and Tampa employed she has seen tremendous progress and community spirit in our city. From walking the neighborhood as a beat cop to becoming the first woman Police Chief, Jane has seen that when people are involved and invested in working together, problems get solved. Together, Jane and her team attacked and reduced crime by over 70% making our neighborhoods safer places to live, play and enjoy. At the same time, they made the largest city agency, the police department, more efficient, and in touch with the problems Tampa needs fixing. Jane and her team saved money while improving services. Effective leadership makes a difference. Our growing economy, our increasing housing prices, attracting bright young minds and new employers to move here are all testimony to the power of leadership that can bring people together for a common purpose-that’s exactly what Jane bring to this race. But Tampa, Jane knows we can do even better.
  • A Safer Tampa. Jane is the only candidate who has taken on and effectively fought crime. Whether reducing crime by 72 percent, putting at-risk youth into jobs programs, or making the police department, the city’s largest agency, more efficient by saving taxpayers money and improving services—Jane has always led effectively with a steady and fair hand. Jane has put in the work and pulled out the results to keep our communities safer and make Tampa an attractive place to live and work.
  • A Better Transportation Future. Jane is the only candidate for mayor who has seen the deadly and devastating effects of an overburdened road and street intersection system, or the human suffering that results when our first responders can not do their jobs because of rush hour gridlock. We can and will do better. You the people, have said “Enough”. You’ve granted leaders the tools to fix our transportation problems. The same way we effectively attacked crime with innovative thinking, as your next mayor, Jane will use the skills learned in city leadership to effectively keep people and traffic moving.
  • A Growing Economy. Great progress has been made to expand our job base, make Tampa an attractive place to live and work and we can do even better. It starts with a foundation of a safe and more mobile city, but it continues and builds with a leader who knows our neighborhoods, knows our people and has a record of effectively fixing problems. Jane is the only candidate who developed a jobs program for our at-risk youth, not just because they lacked good job opportunities, but because our police department needed talent. Tampa is stronger when those who grew up here are working with their own neighborhoods to achieve a common goal of a safer Tampa.

[31]

”
—Jane Castor’s campaign website (2019)[32]

Harry Cohen

Cohen’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Believe in Tampa

Tampa has made incredible progress over the past eight years under our current mayor and city council. Now we need a new leader who can keep that progress going and build upon it to help our city reach its true potential.

Getting there will take someone with proven leadership skills who knows how to work collaboratively with other government leaders, as well as business leaders, to get things done. Someone who’s equally focused on the well-being of all neighborhoods and all residents of our great city.

Believe in Harry to bring this future vision of Tampa to life because nobody will work harder and smarter to balance Tampa’s growth and better your quality of life.

Believe in Better

  • BETTER transportation and infrastructure throughout Tampa
  • BETTER stormwater management and less flooding threats
  • BETTER housing opportunities that are affordable and attainable
  • BETTER public discourse and more respectful community relations
  • BETTER inclusion of all neighborhoods in Tampa’s progress

[31]

”
—Harry Cohen’s campaign website (2019)[33]

Topher Morrison

Morrison's campaign website stated the following:

“
  • The Rooftop City

If you try to be all things to all people, you will end up being nothing to anyone. While grammatically questionable, the message is dead on. If you think of successful brands, they don’t try to appeal to everyone in the world, yet they have world-wide success. A city is no different. In fact, if you look at every city of influence you’ll discover that they are each typically known for one powerful concept.

  • Advanced Rapid Transportation

There are so many different modes of transportation available for Tampa, I thought it might be easier if I break down some of the various types before I share my thoughts on the solutions:

We are the only major city that doesn’t use its extensive network of waterways for transportation. That’s a disgrace. It sends a message to the world that we aren’t very innovative. Let’s change that. As mayor I would aim to fully utilize our waterways for transportation and mobility. I will forge partnerships with innovative companies who are exploring new technology for water vehicles so that we can effectively connect the communities across our beautiful bay.

  • Economy: Attracting the Whales

“How will you attract big companies like Amazon to want to relocate to Tampa?”

I get this question asked a lot, and I’m not sure that’s even the best move to try to get them here. Which would you rather have in our city? A big business like Amazon moving here, or a local small business growing into such power and scale that they compete with, or even overtake the size of companies like Amazon?

  • Equality, Inclusiveness, and Embracing Diversity

Nobody has ever been a child and written down a goal to one day grow up and live in affordable housing. “Affordable Housing” may sound nice, but the reality is, this typically equates to finding a forgotten part of our city, building the cheapest, and most institutionalized type of group housing project on the land, void of any landscaping, and then approving the bare minimum amount of funding to be able to say, “I did something.”

  • Innovation

Innovation isn’t a box you check off and say, “Done!” And too many people confuse innovation with technology, thinking that if they focus on the latest gadgets that means they are innovative. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, new technologies are developed every day that aren’t particularly innovative. They are just copies of old tech with shinier boxes.

Innovation is about making things better. And in the process, if you can use technology to enhance that innovation, then all the better for you. It’s important that we have a Mayor who understands this subtle distinction otherwise you will have someone in office who simply throws money toward hi-tech systems and gadgets without analyzing whether or not the technology will make the current system function better. A truly innovative Mayor will first seek to make something better, before throwing money toward building a brand new technology.

  • Public Safety

The single highest priority of the Mayor is ensuring the safety of his or her citizens. This starts with first-class police, fire, & rescue. Check! That doesn’t mean we can’t do better, and we will. And it can start by taking active steps to improve the relations between our police force and minorities. We shouldn’t settle for anything less than a 100% approval rating from the citizens of our great city. Impossible? Maybe. But worthy of pursuit? Definitely. Community outreach, subconscious bias sensitivity training, de-escalation training, and more police on feet and bikes over squad cars.

  • Ending Homelessness

Homelessness absolutely can be solved. But it won’t happen if we continue to play partisan games and not listen to the other side. This is one of those situations where the right and the left are both half right, and half wrong. The moment we set aside our personal beliefs and examine the topic from an objective point of view, we can find a solution, and it can happen much faster than most would expect.

The process is quite simple. Make it harder for the homeless to be homeless, and make it easier for the homeless to find homes.

  • Cooperation Between the City and County

If you’ve lived in Tampa for more than a decade and have paid any attention at all to how Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa get along, you’ll know that they don’t really get along at all. This has to stop.

As your Mayor, I may not have control over the county commissioners, but I will have an impact. There is an influence of sorts, but without the proper leadership in office to bridge that gap between a typically Republican based county and a Democrat based city, that influence is almost nonexistent or even negative. [31]

”
—Topher Morrison’s campaign website (2019)[34]

David Straz

Straz's campaign website stated the following:

“

I am running for mayor because I love this city and I want to provide leadership and vision for the future. I have a lifetime of experience running high quality organizations at a high level. I want to apply all I’ve learned to improving the quality of life in every neighborhood. Here, you can read the positions I’ve taken on issues important to Tampa’s future.

  • Public Safety
  • Budget
  • Job Creation
  • Transportation
  • Affordable Housing
  • Rainy Day Fund
  • Gun Safety
  • Minimum Wage
  • Public Education
  • Equal Pay for Women
  • LGBTQ Equality
  • Protecting the Environment

[31]

”
—David Straz’s campaign website (2019)[35]

Ed Turanchik

Turanchik's campaign website stated the following:

“

TAMPA GO PLAN
A COMPLETE TRANSPORTATION FOR TAMPA

Ed’s TAMPA GO PLAN will create congestion proof transit corridors connecting Tampa’s local neighborhoods to our major business centers NOW. Ed’s GO PLAN uses new transit technologies running on existing public streets, freight rail corridors, and waterways to create a seamless, affordable and convenient mobility system that serves most of Tampa. The goal is simple — to get us going again, around congestion, and on the road to sustainable growth and prosperity. Ed’s GO PLAN guarantees that $15 billion in new transportation revenues approved by voters will be spent wisely, on local projects to reduce congestion, keep us safe, and benefit Tampa and Hillsborough County taxpayers FIRST, not lobbyists, consultants and special interests.

BUILDING A BETTER CITY
SMARTER GROWTH, BETTER HOUSING

Tampa needs robust business districts and fresh approaches to rebuilding our older commercial corridors, all supported by new and emerging transit options. Ed will promote new housing initiatives in conjunction with GO PLAN corridors, so growth doesn’t overcrowd our streets and people can get around without the need to use a car. Ed’s PLACES AND SPACES PLAN will make it easier for people to invest in new businesses in our older commercial corridors. Ed will promote a range of new housing initiatives to create more affordable home and rental options, and new programs to help lower income homeowners repair and improve their homes.

LEADING IN INNOVATION
AN EMPOWERED 21ST CENTURY ECONOMY

Ed believes we must create a civic and economic environment that has innovation at its heart. We need to make it easy for people to invest in themselves and their businesses. Ed’s goal is for Tampa to be one of the best places in America where good ideas and the people behind them can succeed. Ed will establish an Office of Innovation and Public Private Partnerships to promote an innovation ecosystem that connects people with good ideas and the resources to pursue them. Ed wants to introduce innovation and creativity into the delivery of City services, so Tampa can provide better services with existing revenues.

FISCAL PRUDENCE
PUTTING TAXPAYERS FIRST

Ed believes that fiscal prudence is the foundation for a prosperous city. Ed will be careful with your tax dollars. As a County Commissioner, Ed did eight multi-billion budgets, each four times larger than the Tampa City budget, and cut property tax rates every year. Ed also is the only Mayoral candidate who consistently opposed extravagant transit projects. Ed forewarned about exploding municipal debt from a bad bond deal, warnings that went unheeded, and that debt will now cost taxpayers $17 million each year. And Ed is the only Mayoral candidate with the knowledge, experience and track record that you can rely upon to ensure that the new transportation tax dollars are spent wisely. He guarantees that these funds will be invested in projects that work, and that benefit everyone, and not spent on projects that benefit lobbyists, consultants and special interests.

PROMOTING A DIVERSE COMMUNITY
OPPORTUNITY AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL

Our prosperity is best ensured by creating jobs and economic opportunity for everyone. Tampa needs to support the economic mobility of all of its citizens by removing barriers to progress that encumber too many. Diversity and inclusion will be a hallmark of Ed’s administration. Ed will restructure the City’s procurement programs to give small minority businesses and entrepreneurs to gain experience and better compete in the marketplace. Ed will also promote better urban housing, and better transit that serves our local neighborhoods. Ed will also make sure that our criminal justice system is fair and even-handed.

AN EDUCATION MAYOR
GOOD SCHOOLS FOR ALL

Schools are the foundation of neighborhoods. Tampa cannot prosper without good schools for everyone. Ed is committed to improving the quality of education in all of our neighborhoods. He understands the challenges that working families have in making ends meet while furthering the education of their children. Ed will work with the School Board, County, Florida legislature, neighborhoods, businesses, and community organizations to fashion public and private sector solutions to address these challenges. He knows that we must remove the turf and political barriers to help our students most in need.

A VISIONARY MAYOR FOR OUR REGION
A VISION THAT WORKS, A RECORD YOU CAN COUNT ON

Ed is the only candidate who has the vision, knowledge and experience to lead our City and the Tampa Bay Region into the 21st century.

Ed knows that Tampa’s Mayor does more than lead our City — Tampa’s Mayor must lead our region. Ed is the only candidate with a 30-year track record as a visionary, regional leader. Ed introduced the first regional commuter rail plans and co-founded Tampa Bay Water that ended a generation of water wars. He led the Florida 2012 Olympic bid that knitted together Tampa, St. Petersburg and Orlando for the 2012 Olympic games bid and created a statewide coalition to fund high speed rail. He also introduced regional ferry service to Tampa Bay. Ed is the only candidate awarded the Tampa Bay Partnership’s and Central Florida Partnership’s top leadership awards. He also was awarded the Public Servant of the Year by 1000 Friends of Florida, the Local Public Official of the Year by Florida Audubon, and received the National Transportation Leadership Award by the National Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations. [31]

”
—Ed Turanchik’s campaign website (2019)[36]


Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Jane Castor

Support

"Street" - Jane Castor for Mayor campaign ad, released January 28, 2019


Harry Cohen

Support

"Interesting" - Harry Cohen for Mayor campaign ad, released February 8, 2019


David Straz

Support

"Red Lights" - David Straz for Mayor campaign ad, released February 10, 2019


Mike Suarez

Support


Timeline

  • March 5, 2019: No candidate received a majority of the votes in the general election. Jane Castor (48 percent) and David Straz (15 percent) advanced to the runoff election.
  • February 22, 2019: The Florida Sentinel Bulletin endorsed David Straz.
  • February 20, 2019: The Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association endorsed Jane Castor. The Hillsborough County Black Democratic Caucus endorsed Topher Morrison. Muslims for Democracy and Fairness endorsed David Straz.
  • February 13, 2019: Democratic Progressive Caucus of Tampa Bay and Emgage PAC endorsed Harry Cohen.
  • February 6, 2019: EMILY's List endorsed Jane Castor.
  • February 2, 2019: Tampa Bay Times endorses Jane Castor.
  • January 24, 2019: LGBTQ Victory Fund endorsed Jane Castor.
  • January 23, 2019: Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik endorsed Jane Castor.
  • January 22, 2019: Former U.S. Sen. and Governor Bob Graham (D) endorsed Mike Suarez.
  • January 18, 2019: Seven candidates filed to run. They are: Jane Castor, Harry Cohen, Dick Greco Jr., Topher Morrison, David Straz, Mike Suarez, and Ed Turanchik.

Debates and forums

Do you know of a candidate debate or forum that has taken place in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.

February 5, 2019

All seven candidates participated in a forum hosted by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. To view a video of the forum click here.

January 15, 2019

The Society of Real Estate Professionals and the Society for Marketing Professional Services hosted a forum attended by Jane Castor, Harry Cohen, Topher Morrison, David Straz, Mike Suarez, and Ed Turanchik. The candidates discussed affordable housing, and corporate and talent attraction issues. For coverage of the forum, click here.

January 9, 2019

Bay News 9 hosted a televised forum attended by Jane Castor, Harry Cohen, Topher Morrison, David Straz, Mike Suarez, and Ed Turanchik. The candidates discussed transportation infrastructure, public safety, affordable housing, and a baseball stadium. Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics also noted that "there were moments where candidates were not afraid to throw shade at their opponents and dredge up past blemishes on professional resumes."[37] For coverage of this forum, click here.

January 8, 2019

URBN Tampa Bay hosted a forum attended by Jane Castor, Harry Cohen, Topher Morrison, Mike Suarez, and Ed Turanchik. The forum focused on architecture and design in the city of Tampa. To view a video of the forum, click here.

Mayoral partisanship

Once mayors elected in 2019 assumed office, the mayors of 65 of the country's 100 largest cities were affiliated with the Democratic Party. Out of the 31 mayoral elections that were held in 2019 in the 100 largest cities, five partisan changes occurred. Democrats gained three mayorships: two previously held by Republicans and one previously held by an independent. Republicans won one office held by an unaffiliated mayor, and one office where the incumbent's partisan affiliation was unknown.

In the elections in Phoenix, Arizona and Wichita, Kansas, Democrats won seats with Republican incumbents. In Wichita, Democrat Brandon Whipple defeated Republican incumbent Jeff Longwell. In Raleigh, North Carolina, a Democrat won a seat previously held by an independent. In Aurora, Colorado, a Republican succeeded an unaffiliated mayor. In Garland, Texas, a Republican succeeded a mayor with unknown party affiliation. Incumbents did not seek re-election in Phoenix, Raleigh, Aurora, or Garland.

Click here to learn more.

Past elections

2015

See also: Tampa, Florida municipal elections, 2015

The city of Tampa, Florida, held elections for mayor and city council on March 3, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was January 16, 2015. All seven city council seats were up for election.[38]

In the mayoral race, incumbent Bob Buckhorn defeated write-in candidate Jose Vazquez.[39]

Mayor of Tampa, 2015
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngBob Buckhorn Incumbent 95.9% 24,607
Jose Vazquez 4.1% 1,049
Total Votes 25,656
Source: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, "Official general election results," accessed May 28, 2015

2011

Bob Buckhorn defeated Rose Ferlita in the runoff election, after the two candidates advanced from a five-candidate field in the general election.

Mayor of Tampa, Runoff Election, 2011
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngBob Buckhorn 62.9% 26,708
Rose Ferlita 37.1% 15,778
Total Votes 42,486
Source: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections - 2011 Runoff Election Results
Mayor of Tampa, General Election, 2011
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngRose Ferlita 25.9% 10,808
Green check mark transparent.pngBob Buckhorn 23.5% 9,824
Dick Greco 22.6% 9,441
Ed Turanchik 8.6% 3,601
Thomas Scott 19.4% 8,110
Total Votes 41,784
Source: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections - 2011 General Election Results

About the city

See also: Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in Hillsborough County, Florida. As of 2010, its population was 335,709.

City government

See also: Mayor-council government

The city of Tampa uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.

Demographics

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic Data for Tampa, Florida
Tampa Florida
Population 335,709 18,801,310
Land area (sq mi) 114 53,651
Race and ethnicity**
White 65.4% 75.1%
Black/African American 23.6% 16.1%
Asian 4.3% 2.7%
Native American 0.3% 0.3%
Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.1%
Other (single race) 2.5% 3%
Multiple 3.9% 2.7%
Hispanic/Latino 26.4% 25.6%
Education
High school graduation rate 87.9% 88.2%
College graduation rate 38.6% 29.9%
Income
Median household income $53,833 $55,660
Persons below poverty level 18.6% 14%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


State profile

See also: Florida and Florida elections, 2019
USA Florida location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of May 7, 2019

Presidential voting pattern

  • Florida voted Republican in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • Democrats held one of Florida's 16 state executive offices and Republicans held six. Elections for the other offices are nonpartisan.
  • Florida's governor was Republican Ron DeSantis.

State legislature

Florida Party Control: 1992-2024
One year of a Democratic trifecta  •  Twenty-six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R I R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

Florida quick stats
  • Became a state in 1845
  • 27th state admitted to the United States
  • Florida contains the southernmost point in the contiguous United States.
  • Members of the Florida State Senate: 40
  • Members of the Florida House of Representatives: 120
  • U.S. senators: 2
  • U.S. representatives: 27
More Florida coverage on Ballotpedia:


Demographic data for Florida
 FloridaU.S.
Total population:20,244,914316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):53,6253,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:76%73.6%
Black/African American:16.1%12.6%
Asian:2.6%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2.4%3%
Hispanic/Latino:23.7%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:86.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:27.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$47,507$53,889
Persons below poverty level:19.8%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Florida.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Four of 67 Florida counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Jefferson County, Florida 5.06% 1.75% 3.66%
Monroe County, Florida 6.82% 0.44% 4.90%
Pinellas County, Florida 1.11% 5.65% 8.25%
St. Lucie County, Florida 2.40% 7.86% 12.12%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Florida with 49 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.8 percent. Florida was considered a key battleground state in the 2016 general election. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Florida voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. Florida went to the Republicans in 2000, 2004, and 2016, and it went to the Democrats in 2008 and 2012.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Florida. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[40][41]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 55 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 29.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 54 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 30.3 points. Clinton won 14 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 65 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 17.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 66 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 21.1 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

See also

Tampa, Florida Florida Municipal government Other local coverage
Seal of Tampa, Florida.svg.png
Seal of Florida.png
Municipal Government Final.png
Local Politics Image.jpg

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Tampa mayor election results: Follow our live blog for the latest," March 5, 2019
  2. ↑ Florida Politics, "Joe Henderson: Race for Tampa Mayor about to get serious," November 7, 2018
  3. ↑ FOX 13, "Tampa's mayoral candidates: Meet the crowded field," February 14, 2019
  4. ↑ Hillsborough County Elections, "Reporting Group (Election/Committees): 2019 City of Tampa Municipal Election (3/5/2019)," accessed January 21, 2019
  5. ↑ Jane for Mayor, "Meet Jane," accessed January 23, 2019
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jane for Mayor, "Priorities," accessed January 23, 2019
  7. ↑ David Straz for Mayor, "About David," accessed January 23, 2019
  8. ↑ David Straz for Mayor, "Qualify of Life Cabinet," accessed January 23, 2019
  9. ↑ Florida Politics, "Harry Cohen blasts David Straz over proposed $100 million budget cut," January 22, 2019
  10. ↑ City of Tampa, "Mike Suarez," accessed January 23, 2019
  11. ↑ Mike for Tampa, "Home," accessed January 23, 2019
  12. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Mike Suarez formally kicks off campaign for Tampa mayor with a trolley tour," December 8, 2018
  13. ↑ Ed Turanchik, "Meet Ed," accessed January 23, 2019
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ed Turanchik, "Ed's Vision," accessed January 23, 2019
  15. ↑ Florida Politics, "Tampa Bay Times endorses Jane Castor for Tampa Mayor," February 1, 2019
  16. ↑ Florida Politics, "Jeff Vinik backs Jane Castor for Tampa mayor," January 23, 2019
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Tampa Bay Times, "Jane Castor gets police union nod in Tampa mayor's race," January 24, 2019
  18. ↑ Florida Politics, "Tampa Bay-area police chiefs back former peer Jane Castor," February 20, 2019
  19. ↑ Victory Fund, "Victory Fund Endorses 18 More LGBTQ Candidates for 2019; Tampa Mayoral Candidate Jane Castor Receives Spotlight Endorsement," January 24, 2019
  20. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Emily’s List backs Jane Castor in Tampa mayoral race," February 6, 2019
  21. ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Times recommends: Jane Castor for Tampa mayor," February 2, 2019
  22. ↑ Facebook, "Harry Cohen for Tampa Mayor," accessedd February 8, 2019
  23. ↑ Florida Politics, "Tampa Progressives back Harry Cohen," February 13, 2019
  24. ↑ Florida Politics, "National Muslim advocacy group backs Harry Cohen for Tampa Mayor," February 13, 2019
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Florida Politics, "Topher Morrison grabs his first endorsement," February 20, 2019
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Florida Politics, "Jane Castor, David Straz roll out dueling endorsements in Tampa mayor race," December 8, 2018
  27. ↑ Florida Politics, "Big get: David Straz endorsed by Florida Sentinel Bulletin," February 21, 2019
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Florida Politics, "Mike Suarez adds two new endorsements en route to qualifying for Tampa mayoral race," January 18, 2019
  29. ↑ Florida Politics, "Bob Graham endorses Mike Suarez for Tampa mayor," January 22, 2019
  30. ↑ Florida Politics "Tampa Tea Party recommends Ed Turanchik for Tampa mayor," March 2, 2019
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 31.4 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  32. ↑ Jane for Mayor, “Issues,” accessed January 22, 2019
  33. ↑ Harry Cohen for Tampa Mayor, “Believe Better,” accessed January 22, 2019
  34. ↑ Topher for Mayor, “What he stands for,” accessed January 22, 2019
  35. ↑ David Straz for Mayor, “Issues,” accessed January 22, 2019
  36. ↑ Ed Turanchik for Mayor, “Ed's Vision,” accessed January 22, 2019
  37. ↑ Florida Politics, "Transportation, not-so-subtle digs, baseball dominate Tampa mayoral forum," January 10, 2019
  38. ↑ Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, "City of Tampa Municipal Officers (2015)," accessed September 19, 2014
  39. ↑ Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, "Official 2015 Candidate List," accessed January 19, 2015
  40. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  41. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
v • e
2019 Municipal Elections
Local Elections
Ballotpedia Coverage
Flag of Florida
v • e
State of Florida
Tallahassee (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Mayoral_election_in_Tampa,_Florida_(March_5,_2019_general_election)&oldid=10441309"