A crowded race for mayor of Fort Lauderdale has pitted three political rivals against Dean Trantalis, the man who has been doing the job since 2018.
The election comes at a critical time for Fort Lauderdale, a growing coastal city facing a range of challenges that include sea-level rise, damaging floods from record rainstorms and a homeless crackdown mandated by the state.
Trantalis, a real estate attorney, says residents should vote for him in the Nov. 5 election because he is the most qualified person to guide the city through the next four years.
His three opponents disagree.
Kenneth Cooper, an attorney who lost to Trantalis in 2020, describes himself as a neutral candidate with no political baggage who will bring a sense of fiscal responsibility to City Hall.
Jim Lewis, a criminal defense attorney making his 10th run for office and his second for mayor, says he’s the top pick if you want a more vibrant downtown with an “edgy” nightlife to rival Miami’s.
Barbra Stern, an attorney making her first run for mayor and her second run for public office, says she’s the one to vote for if you want a leader who will bring a laser focus to the entire city and stop what she called the city’s public land giveaways.