Creative Loafing reluctantly endorses Orlando Gudes for Tampa City Council District 5

This is perhaps the most difficult choice voters face (albeit just those in District 5). Newcomer Gwen Henderson is an educator at Jefferson High School who switched from the city-wide District 3 race to this one after Jeffery Rhodes dropped out—and she could very well win. Like her opponent, Orlando Gudes, she’s an advocate for listening to all parties and wants to help East Tampa, but at a recent Tampa Tiger Bay forum, she said she needed more information on the mayor’s PURE wastewater plan to commit to a position on it.

The honesty is a hallmark of Henderson’s campaign, and appreciated, but at this point, candidates should have enough information on one of the city’s most controversial agenda items to at least hint at their positions.

Gudes isn’t easy to get behind either. Yes, he’s been an advocate for increased accountability for police, a steady champion for East Tampa, and someone who brought the mayor to the table when it comes to helping one of the city’s most overlooked neighborhoods.  

But his first-term on council was marred after the Castor administration made public three-year-old allegations of Gudes creating a toxic work environment and of sexual harassment for one of his former aides. The city made a $200,000 settlement for Gudes’ accuser—and then saw the case dismissed by a judge two months later.

Some in Gudes’ district saw the surfacing of the allegations as a political hit job against a councilman—and former cop who served for nearly 30 years—who had opposed the mayor on issues including rent control and the handling of the police’s crime-free multi housing program which the Tampa Bay Times found disproportionately evicted renters of color.

No race is a toss-up, but this is as close as it gets.

On one hand, Tampa gets a fresh start with Henderson, who has not committed when it comes to putting treated wastewater in the drinking supply. On the other, it gets someone with a tarnished reputation who explicitly opposes the PURE wastewater plan while also demonstrating the essential ability to think independently from the administration.

Creative Loafing reluctantly endorses Orlando Gudes for Tampa City Council District 5.

See all of CL’s endorsements and charter amendment recommendations here.

This article appears in Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2023.