2019 Tampa mayoral election

2019 Tampa mayoral election
← 2015
March 5 and April 23, 2019
2023 →
 
Candidate Jane Castor David Straz Jr. Harry Cohen
First round 23,324
47.98%		 7,522
15.47%		 5,907
12.15%
Runoff 38,859
73.10%		 14,300
26.90%		 Eliminated
 
Candidate Ed Turanchik Dick Greco Jr Mike Suarez
First round 4,320
8.89%		 4,158
8.55%		 2,462
5.06%
Runoff Eliminated Eliminated Eliminated
Runoff results by precinct
Castor:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Straz:      50–60%
No votes:      
Mayor before election

Bob Buckhorn

 Elected mayor

Jane Castor

An election for mayor of Tampa was held on March 5, 2019. The election is officially nonpartisan, and the winner is elected to a four-year term.

Incumbent mayor Bob Buckhorn was not eligible to run for a third term. Buckhorn was first elected in 2011 (winning in the second round with 62.86% of the vote) and reelected unopposed in 2015. Jane Castor and David Straz headed off into a runoff election on April 23, 2019, as no candidate received the majority fifty percent. Castor defeated Straz in the runoff election, becoming mayor-elect of Tampa.

Candidates

Declared

Did not file

Withdrawn

Endorsements

David Straz Jr.

Labor unions

  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 824
  • International Union of Operating Engineers Local 487
  • Northwest Florida Chapter of Black Women in Construction
  • Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 123
  • United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 1625
Jane Castor

Individuals

  • Former fire chief Tom Forward
  • Former police chief Steve Hogue
  • Former police chief Bennie Holder

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of November 21, 2018
Candidate (party) Total receipts Total expenditures
Jane Castor $176,858.80 $32,524.63
Harry Cohen $97,625.00 $38,217.37
Michael Anthony Hazard $262.90 $122.90
LaVaughn King $0.00 $0.00
Topher Morrison $58,642.81 $44,421.93
David Straz Jr. $1,592,940.00 $1,007,724.65
Mike Suarez $49,788.00 $8,183.00
Ed Turanchik $171,474.00 $76,401.36

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Jane
Castor		 Harry
Cohen		 David
Straz Jr.		 Mike
Suarez		 Ed
Turanchik		 Dick Greco, Jr. Other Undecided
St. Pete Polls May 10, 2018 424 ±4.8% 47.3% 5.4% 7.8% 5.5% 9.7% - 8.3% 15.9%
St. Pete Polls June 24, 2018 496 ±4.4% 40.9% 7.3% 10.6% 7.2% 7.2% - 7.8% 18.9%
St. Pete Polls February 5, 2019 429 ±4.7% 45.3% 7.5% 12.9% 6.0% 6.7% 9.3% - 10.8%

Results

First round

2019 Tampa mayoral primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Jane Castor 23,324 47.98%
Nonpartisan David Straz 7,522 15.47%
Nonpartisan Harry Cohen 5,907 12.15%
Nonpartisan Ed Turanchik 4,320 8.89%
Nonpartisan Dick Greco, Jr. 4,158 8.55%
Nonpartisan Mike Suarez 2,462 5.06%
Nonpartisan Topher Morrison 839 1.73%
Write-in 80 0.16%
Total votes 48,612 100.00%

Runoff

2019 Tampa mayoral general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Jane Castor 38,859 73.10%
Nonpartisan David Straz 14,300 26.90%
Total votes 53,159 100.00%

References

  1. ↑ Danielson, Richard. "Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn won't seek Democratic nomination for governor in 2018". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  2. ↑ White, D'Ann Lawrence (March 5, 2019). "Tampa Mayor's Race: Castor, Straz In Runoff April 23". Patch Media. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  3. ↑ Krietz, Andrew (March 5, 2019). "Tampa election: Jane Castor, David Straz head to runoff". WTSP. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Schorsch, Peter (July 25, 2018). "Jane Castor still dominates poll of race for Tampa mayor, but David Straz, others inch up". floridapolitics.com. Florida Politics. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Frago, Charlie (October 3, 2018). "After a few jabs, Tampa's first mayoral debate is a civil affair". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  6. ↑ March, William (March 28, 2018). "Councilman Harry Cohen pledges new priorities in filing to run for Tampa mayor". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  7. ↑ Irwin Taylor, Janelle (January 12, 2019). "Dick Greco Jr. jumps in crowded Tampa mayoral race". floridapolitics.com. Florida Politics. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  8. 1 2 Irwin Taylor, Janelle (November 13, 2018). "Tampa's mayoral race will be the next election pivot". floridapolitics.com. Florida Politics. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  9. ↑ Irwin, Janelle (January 8, 2018). "Tampa businessman announces mayoral campaign". bizjournals.com. Tampa Bay Business Journal. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  10. ↑ Frago, Charlie (May 29, 2018). "Topher Morrison was a big-time hypnotist. Now he's running for Tampa mayor". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  11. ↑ Frago, Charlie (May 7, 2018). "Philanthropist David Straz joins growing field in Tampa mayor's race". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Tampa philanthropist David Straz Jr. Dead at 77". www.tampabay.com. Retrieved January 26, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. ↑ Schorsch, Peter (April 30, 2018). "Mike Suarez to join race to be next Tampa mayor". floridapolitics.com. Florida Politics. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  14. ↑ Frago, Charlie (October 4, 2018). "If you're running for Tampa mayor, where do you eat? Mike Suarez has a list". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  15. ↑ Frago, Charlie (April 2, 2018). "Ed Turanchik unveils his secret sauce to be Tampa's next mayor: Vision". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  16. 1 2 March, William (November 13, 2018). "William March: Could a late arrival in Tampa mayor's race upset the apple cart?". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  17. ↑ Frago, Charlie (September 27, 2018). "Sam B. Gibbons drops out of Tampa's mayoral race". tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Schorsch, Peter (December 8, 2018). "Jane Castor, David Straz roll out dueling endorsements in Tampa mayor race". floridapolitics.com. Florida Politics. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Irwin Taylor, Janelle (October 15, 2018). "David Straz comes out with four early endorsements for Tampa Mayor". floridapolitics.com. Florida Politics. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Local Candidates - Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections".
  21. ↑ "Tampa, Florida Mayoral Election Survey" (PDF). St. Pete Polls. May 10, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Tampa, Florida Mayoral Election Survey" (PDF). St. Pete Polls. July 24, 2018.
  23. ↑ "City of Tampa Survey conducted for StPetePolls.org" (PDF). St. Pete Polls. February 4, 2019.
  24. ↑ "2019 City of Tampa Municipal Election". Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. June 5, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  25. ↑ "2019 City of Tampa Municipal Runoff Election". Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. June 5, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2025.