TAMPA -- The field has been set for the March 7th city elections, and it appears Mayor Jane Castor is set to cruise to re-election. When qualifying closed Friday at noon, the mayor drew only a write-in candidate, Belinda Noah.
The same can't be said for contests involving the city council, where there's been an unusual amount of conflict with the mayor. Only District 7 incumbent Luis Viera didn't draw an opponent. The other council members, several of whom have opposed Mayor Castor on several issues, all find themselves with challengers. Some believe the mayor has painted targets on their backs.
Councilman Bill Carlson (D-4) drew Blake Casper, head of a Tampa restaurant company that formerly held regional McDonald's franchises, filed to run against him. Carlson has opposed the mayor on a number of issues, including affordable housing and the so-called "toilet to tap" water recycling proposal. Carlson and Orlando Gudes (D-5), who has drawn one ballot opponent and one write-in opponent, insist they've been targeted by the mayor. "She hates me!", Carlson said of the mayor, and accuses her team of putting out a push poll, one preceded with negative questions, showing only 47 percent support for his re-election. Gudes was the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit by a former aide that was settled by the city without consulting council. A city report found 18 of the 19 allegations, including lewd comments about the aide, her daughter, and a city council member, to be credible. Castor declared that if she had the authority to fire Gudes, she would.
Lynn Hurtak (D-3) has drawn four opponents, including former State Senator Janet Cruz, the mother of the mayor's partner. Hurtak was appointed last year to fill the seat of John Dingfelder, who resigned following an ethics complaint. Hurtak complained at Thursday's meeting that she got a large public records request from an anonymous individual, implying that it was part of the upcoming campaign against her.
Just the day before qualifying ended, council members placed four charter amendments on the ballot that were vetoed by Castor. One would require council approval on the mayor's department head appointments, a reaction to her handling of the appointment of former police chief Mary O' Connor, who resigned over her behavior at a traffic stop in November. Others would set term limits for city council, limit the mayor's power to create city boards, and change the interval for charter review from ten to eight years.
Here are the candidates who have qualified for the mayor and city council contests:
Mayor
Jane Castor, incumbent
Belinda Noah (write-in)
D-1
Joseph Citro, incumbent
Alan Clendenin
Chase Harrison
Sonja P. Brookins
D-2
Guido Maniscalco, incumbent
Michael Derewenko
Robin Lockett
Gary Pruitt
Mike Suarez
D-3
Lynn Hurtak, incumbent
K.J. Allen
Janet Cruz
George "TheHunted" Feshev
Jose Vazquez
D-4
Bill Carlson, incumbent
Blake J. Casper
D-5
Orlando L. Gudes, incumbent
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Henderson
Evelyn Jané-Marie McBride (write-in)
D-6
Charlie Miranda, incumbent
Tyler Barrett
Rick Fifer
Nicole Payne
Hoyt Prindle III
D-7
Luis Viera (unopposed)
Photo: Canva