With
Four years ago, same-sex couples couldn鈥檛 get married in Tampa, Florida. This spring, the city elected its first lesbian mayor. We talk with Mayor Jane Castor.
Guest
, mayor of Tampa, Florida. Former Tampa chief of police. ( )
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Tampa Bay Times:&苍产蝉辫;鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥淛ane Castor is Tampa鈥檚 next mayor, making history as the first openly gay mayor to gain office in Tampa Bay.
鈥淭he retired police chief crushed opponent David Straz with 73 percent of the vote, stretching a near-win in the primary seven weeks ago into a full-on rout Tuesday night.
鈥淚t was over before the first ballot cast on Election Day got counted. Castor, 59, ran up an overwhelming lead in early voting, ending any hope for Straz despite his record spending on the race.
鈥淐ampaign finance reports show the retired banker spent nearly $5-million during the campaign, much of it from his personal fortune. That means Straz spent nearly $345 for every vote he received. Castor, who won all but 7 of the city鈥檚 103 precincts, spent about $44 per vote.鈥�
Miami Herald: 鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥淎fter a sound sleep, Jane Castor started her first day as Tampa鈥檚 mayor-elect with too many text messages and voicemails to get through before the media interviews began.
鈥淥dds are those congratulatory messages have a theme: A political star is born.
鈥淎 race hardly on the radar of most Americans before Tuesday night was national news by Wednesday morning as outlets across the country touted her groundbreaking election. CNN and the Huffington Post featured her. Activists across the country celebrated as LGBTQ publications like the Washington Blade amplified her backstory.
鈥淪he was a 鈥楾witter Moment.鈥�
鈥淪eemingly overnight, Castor, 59, has an enviable political profile: winner in a landslide, former police chief, mother of two and popular well-known figure in the third-largest city in a crucial swing state. Not to mention a history maker as the first out mayor in Tampa Bay history.鈥�
USA Today: 鈥� 鈥� 鈥� 鈥淭ampa鈥檚 former police chief Jane Castor made history Tuesday, becoming the first openly LGBTQ candidate elected mayor of a major southeastern U.S. city and continuing a mini-wave for out mayoral candidates winning big in metros throughout the country.
鈥淐astor follows former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot, who earlier this month became Chicago鈥檚 first out gay person and black woman to win the mayor鈥檚 seat the nation鈥檚 third-largest city. Sataya Rhodes-Conway also was elected this month as Madison, Wisconsin鈥檚 first out mayor by trouncing incumbent Paul Soglin, who held the seat for 22 years.
鈥淎nother lesbian candidate looking to lead a big U.S. city, Kansas City council member Jolie Justus, will face fellow councilman Quinton Lucas in a June 18 runoff race there.鈥�
Matt Hoisch and produced this hour for broadcast.
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