Tampa City Council Runoff Election; Candidates Targeted By PACS

TAMPA, FL — The outcome of what a former Tampa mayor called the most contentious city council race in recent history will be decided Tuesday as Tampa voters who haven't yet voted early or by mail head to the polls.

The polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. in what Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer expects will be a sparse turnout. Out of 240,586 registered voters, only 13.65 percent (32,815 voters) voted in the regular Tampa municipality election on March 7.

Because the apparent victors of four Tampa City Council seats didn't receive a majority of the vote in the Tampa municipal elections, as required by the city's charter, the top two vote getters in those races moved on to Tuesday's runoff election.

A "majority vote" constitutes more than 50 percent of votes cast, said Gerri Kramer, communications director of the supervisor of elections office.

Among the races to be decided are the District 1 at-large seat now held by council chairman Joseph Citro, the District 2 at-large seat held by Guido Maniscalco, the District 3 at-large seat held by Lynn Hurtak and the District 6 seat held by Charlie Miranda.

District 1 at-large council seat contenders are:

• Sonja P. Brookins 22.47 percent, 6,921 votes
• Alan Clendenin 40.33 percent, 12,424 votes

District 2 at-large council seat:

• Robin Lockett 24.77 percent, 7,618 votes
• Guido Maniscalco 46.98 percent, 14,450 votes

District 3 at-large council seat:

• Janet Cruz 38.76 percent, 12,182 votes
• Lynn Hurtak 42.52 percent, 13,362 votes

District 6 council seat:

• Charlie Miranda 49.39 percent, 4,028 votes
• Hoyt Prindle 21.59 percent, 1,761 votes

Incumbent Orlando L. Gudes was ousted from office after receiving 48.86 percent of the votes while his opponent, Gwendolyn "Gwen" Henderson, received 50.31 percent.

Meanwhile, incumbent Bill Carlson was victorious over millionaire developer Blake Casper with 59.3o percent, or 8,114 votes, to Casper's 40.70 percent, or 5,569 votes.

District 7 council seat incumbent Luis Viera ran unopposed.

Related:

• 4 Tampa City Council Races To Go To Runoffs Election April 25
  
• Tampa Mayor Re-Elected; 2 Incumbent Council Members Ousted
• Despite Controversies, Tampa Mayor Expected To See Easy Re-Election
• Carlson, Hurtak Will Fight To Retain Tampa City Council Seats

The six weeks between the municipal election and the runoff have been eclipsed by a series of attack ads stuffed into the mailboxes of residents by various political action committees.

Among the most vicious were produced by PAC Comite Politica, headed by the Haber Blank law firm in Fort Lauderdale, which has focused on the District 3 race between incumbent Lynn Hurtak and former Florida Sen. Janet Cruz, who narrowly lost her bid for re-election to the Florida Senate in November to Republican Jay Collins. Collins garnered 55 percent of the vote while the longtime Democratic legislator, Cruz, received 45 percent of the vote.

Following her loss, Cruz threw her hat into the Tampa City Council race, casting her eye on the at-large seat now held by Hurtak.

A lifelong Tampa resident and longtime community activist, Hurtak was appointed to the city council in April 2022 following the resignation of council member John Dingfelder.

Hurtak, an editor and consultant and resident of Old Seminole Heights, has served on the city's Charter Review Board and the variance review board. She's an active member of the League of Women Voters and served on the Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association as president, vice president and land use chairman.

Her desire to help Tampa's disenfranchised has earned her the respect and endorsements of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus and the Democratic Tampa Bay Progressive Caucus along with the Tampa Bay Sierra Club, state Rep. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa, Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp and former Tampa city council members Linda Saul-Sena and Mary Mulhern.

"I made it clear when I was appointed to Tampa City Council that affordable housing would be my greatest passion, and it’s been my top priority in office," Hurtak said. "The city doesn’t work without its workers, and any future growth without them in mind is both reckless and doomed to fail."

She said this means reigning in gentrification and investing Community Redevelopment Agency funds into not only building new affordable housing but upgrading existing housing.

Some of the ugliest attacks in the campaign have targeted Hurtak who Comite Politica calls "Lyin' Lynn."

One of the PAC's mailers takes her to task for voting to increase council member salaries from $52,060 to $73,713.

The mailer fails to inform voters that the city council never requested a salary increase and ultimately voted it down.

Stephanie Poyner, president of the Tampa Homeowners, vice president of the Gandy Civic Association and a member of the city's citizen advisory budget and finance committee, said the committee raised the issue, researched the salaries of comparable city councils around the state, which showed the Tampa council's salaries were among the lowest and recommended a salary increase.

"Eleven other municipalities' salaries for the same position you make is an average of $72,000 a year," Poynor told the council. "No, we are not other cities. But we want representation that is not independently wealthy. We want representation that can pay their mortgages while they're sitting on the council. This is not about you, the current council. This is about the future of the representation of our city."

Hurtak's opponent has the advantage of a larger campaign coffer and the endorsement of Mayor Jane Castor. Cruz is the mother of Castor's life partner, Ana Cruz. Also, a lifelong Tampa resident, Cruz served eight years in the state House before being elected to the Senate and serving four years.

Like Hurtak, Cruz said affordable housing is her biggest priority.

"I will work to increase the supply of affordable homes in Tampa by increasing the affordable housing requirements for developers, making it easier to build more housing where it makes sense, and helping seniors and blue-collar workers stay in their homes," she said.

Cruz has also come under PAC attacks. The right-wing PAC Front Line Patriots Fund Inc.sent out a mailed accusing Cruz of “Corruption. No bid contracts. Nepotism” and “abusing taxpayer money." The nepotism charge is based on her familial relationship with Castor.

The District 6 race pits District 6 longtime council member Charlie Miranda against lawyer Hoyt Prindle.

Miranda has no problem letting people know that he's 82 years old and has served on the city council since 1972 under five mayors.

One mailer disingenuously paints Miranda as anti-environmental. In fact, Miranda has voted for a number of environmental issues. Moreover, he drives a hybrid electric car and uses solar power in his West Tampa home.

“I don’t think an elected official’s got more green in them than me,” he said.

He freely admits, however, to being a fiscal conservative and has voted against projects he felt didn't safeguard taxpayers' funds.

He said a city can't function without adequate infrastructure and has consistently supported improvements to water, wastewater and other public services.

"I’ve always thought about the city first," he said.

Prindle is a 38-year-old commercial litigation lawyer who lives in Wellswood.

His top priority is affordable housing. He said it's essential that the city push for smart growth policies that help provide housing for all residents.

He's been targeted by the conservative PAC People for Coastal Common Sense.

The District 2 contenders are New Tampa resident and Florida Rising leader Robin Lockett and Maniscalco, a lifelong Tampa resident.

Maniscalco was elected to the city council in 2015, and has been a strong proponent of affordable housing initiatives.

His opponent, Robin Lockett, lives in New Tampa and is an organizer for the social advocacy group Florida Rising.

In the District 1 race, Keiser University professor Sonja P. Brookin is battling retired air traffic controller Alan Clendenin.

For those still planning to vote, Latimer warned Seminole Heights residents that there is construction in the area and voters should leave plenty of time to get to their polling place.

He also reminds voters to bring a valid ID that includes a photo and signature.

Voters must vote at their assigned polling place. Click here for the locations of polling places.