District 1: Harry Cohen
Former Tampa City Council member and 2019 mayoral candidate Harry Cohen is a well-liked Democrat who has remained relatively scandal-free during his tenure in public office, despite his controversial vote in favor of TBX/Tampa Bay Next. Cohen is an advocate for equity, science-based safety protocols, and could use his extensive experience in local public office—and his connections, locally— to advocate for effective solutions to address consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. His Republican opponent Scott Levinson is a lifelong District 1 resident and private business owner who believes he could offer an outsider perspective on the County Commission, as someone without prior experience in government. However, Levinson’s agenda is vague. So with extreme reservation, we lean towards the idea that Cohen’s untarnished record in local government—yes, in spite of his atrocious betrayal of citizens in the Tampa Bay Next battle—makes him better suited to effectively navigate the greatest challenges facing the city and its residents today.
District 3: Gwen Myers
Democrat Gwen Myers, who advanced from a competitive primary race in August, is the natural choice to succeed retiring County Commissioner Les Miller. Myers is a community leader and public servant who understands the most pressing issues of her district—namely, affordable housing, public infrastructure, supporting small businesses, improving public transportation, and expanding access to healthcare. Compared to her opponent, Republican Maura Cruz Lanz, Myers is best-suited to advocate for the needs of her community in an elected capacity.
District 6: Patricia “Pat” Kemp
County Commissioner Pat Kemp, the incumbent Democrat, is running for reelection against former County Commissioner Sandra “Sandy” Murman, a Republican who’s received criticism for raking in thousands of dollars of campaign funding from irresponsible sprawl developers—and in doing so, skirting campaign finance laws. Kemp, while your run-of-the-mill Democrat, is an engaged County Commissioner who is more likely to be swayed by the concerns of community members in her decision-making than the deep pockets of special interest groups. We recommend re-electing Patricia “Pat” Kemp for Hillsborough County Commission District 6.
See all of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s 2020 recommendations here.
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This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2020.
