Alan Cohn Throws His Hat Into The Ring To Succeed Viera!

Long-Time Investigative Journalist & Congressional Candidate Says His Qualifications Set Him Apart 

Former investigative journalist and long-time New Tampa resident Alan Cohn is running for Luis Viera’s Dist. 7 Tampa City Council seat. Cohn is the second candidate to announce his intention to run for Viera’s seat in Mar 2027. (Photo by Charmaine George)

Editor’s note — If District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera is successful in his bid to succeed Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell in the State House District 67 election next November, Viera will have to resign from his City Council seat before his second — and final — term in Dist. 7 ends in March of 2027. 

That would mean that the remaining Council members would have to vote to appoint someone to fill Viera’s seat for four months. That appointee would clearly have the inside track in Tampa’s Municipal Elections in Mar. 2027 to remain in the seat. 

In other words, with the primary season for the 2026 Midterm Elections coming up in August, it’s not too early to start telling you who may or may not run to replace Viera. We’ve already introduced you to long-time New Tampa resident and Hillsborough County firefighter Morris Lopez, who is expected to file paperwork to run for Viera’s Council seat this month. We’re equally proud to introduce you to another long-time New Tampa resident who also is planning to file his paperwork soon to replace Viera. — GN 

Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist. Local TV news personality. Two-time candidate for the U.S. Congress. Sixteen-year New Tampa resident. Proud husband and father who cares enough about his community to want to serve it in a new way. 

Those are the qualities 16-year Grand Hampton resident Alan Cohn hopes will earn him enough votes to win the District 7 Tampa City Council seat that fellow New Tampa resident Luis Viera has held for the past nine years. 

Originally from Pearl River, NY, Cohn, 63, acknowledges that Viera has done “a terrific job” of not only representing, but also fighting for the needs of New Tampa — and he plans to continue to fight that good fight for the people of his community. Cohn says that no matter who else also runs for Viera’s seat, he believes he is uniquely qualified to achieve results for the people who live and work in District 7. 

“I’ve raised my family in New Tampa,” Cohn says of his wife, Patty (who also is a former journalist) and their son Aaron, 27 (a former Minor League pro baseball player), and daughter Ann, 29, both of whom graduated from Wharton High. “We’ve been ingrained into this community, so not only do people know me as a friend and neighbor, they know that I care deeply about where we live and the obstacles and the issues that we’re facing.” 

He also believes his background in investigative reporting will help make him a successful City Councilman. 

“I was an investigative reporter for 30 years,” Cohn says. “I’ve covered presidents, governors’ races, Senate races and Congressional races. I was confronted in my first TV job in Massachusetts with a corrupt district attorney who was in bed with the mob. I helped break that story and this guy who had been in that office for 30 years ended up having to leave office.” 

He won the 2007 George Foster Peabody Award, one of journalism’s highest honors, for uncovering that Stratford, CT-based Sikorsky Aircraft, which makes Blackhawk helicopters, was allowing defective parts in its aircraft. 

“I had the facts in black and white because Sikorsky employees snuck documents out of the factory to give to me,” Cohn says. “What Sikorsky did, in the name of efficiency, was lay off their quality control inspectors who inspected subcontracted parts. I was given Department of Defense (DOD) documents saying that they were seeing increased cases of major defective parts on aircraft. I credit my (TV station) management that allowed me to stay on that story for three years until I was able to prove that those aircraft were crashing. And, once that happened, I actually had the George W. Bush administration on my side and Sikorsky had to change what they were doing. And, that probably got me the job down here at ABC Action News.” 

Within a couple of months of starting at that new job, Cohn says, “I found out about a guy who was going around the entire area dressed in a full Marine Corps uniform with the Navy Cross and I discovered that he had never served a day in the military. I thought he was living near the VFW hall off I-275, so I went there, gave the bartender my card and said, ‘If you ever see this guy around here, call me.’ And, that Friday night, he called me to say, ‘He’s here.’ I rushed over, interviewed the guy on my phone and he wound up being charged and convicted federally.” 

An Aspiration To Serve 

Cohn worked at WFTS-TV Channel 28 in Tampa until 2012, but took a break for a few years, until WWSB-TV (ABC7) in Sarasota created an interview show for him. He left that job in 2020 for his first U.S. Congressional District 15 run, where he defeated State Rep. Adam Hattersley and Marine Corps vet Jesse Philippe in the Democratic primary, earning 41% of the vote. 

Viera, who appointed Cohn to the city’s Charter Review Commission, poses with Alan and his wife Patty. (Photo provided by Luis Viera)

“That District 15 race was targeted by both sides from the get-go,” Cohn says. “The incumbent, Ross Spano, was a first-term member of Congress. He also was under criminal investigation. So, I saw it as an opportunity. I thought it would be a first-term member of Congress under criminal investigation against an investigative reporter who had sought out corruption. The problem was that Spano was defeated in the Republican primary (by Lakeland City Commissioner Scott Franklin), so that changed the narrative of the race.” Cohn lost to Franklin 55%-45%. 

Then, in the 2022 election, Cohn again won the Democratic primary for the newly redrawn 15th District, finishing first out of a five-candidate field with 33.1% of the vote. He went on to lose the general election for the District to Republican Laurel Lee by 17 percentage points. 

“My aspiration has always been to serve,” he says. “I look at the role of City Council as where the ‘real work’ is done. This is where you can have a profound impact on your community. And, that’s why I’m running.” 

Cohn also believes that this is a critical, important moment for the City of Tampa. 

“We’re at a point in time, which is almost like a tipping point, not only for New Tampa, but for the entire city,” he says. “I want to be a part of that. I want to make sure that hard-working families can afford to live here and can enjoy living here. I believe City Council is where I can have the most impact at this point in time.” 

As for what he hopes to accomplish for New Tampa on City Council, Cohn wants to make sure that the projects Viera has been working on, but may not see through to fruition before he leaves office, don’t go away because someone new is elected to fill his seat. 

He wants to make sure the city finds the funds necessary to build the under-design, but not-yet-funded city park in K-Bar Ranch that Viera has championed, as well as find a way to put either another fire station or at least an emergency rescue vehicle in K-Bar, “because the response times there aren’t acceptable.” 

In fact, Cohn says, public safety is a top priority for him. “We don’t have a police department location in New Tampa, so TPD officers who patrol here have to check in by Busch Blvd. And, when their shifts end, they have to exchange paperwork in parking lots. That has to stop.” 

He also says that although coalition-building is important, “I have been, throughout my journalism and political career, an advocate who knows how to push properly and knows the tactics and the methods to bring about change. I have always been able to shine a spotlight on whatever is needed, and push until it’s done.” 

Cohn adds that it’s still all about communication. “You can have the greatest ideas in the world,” he says, “but you have to be able to communicate them in an effective way. And, that’s the advantage I think I have over anyone else.” 

Although Viera isn’t making any endorsements in the race to replace him (see pg. 10), “at least not until the race is down to only two candidates,” he did recently appoint Cohn to the city’s Charter Review Commission, which meets every seven years to propose changes to the city’s charter, which Cohn says is akin to its “Constitution.” 

“The Commission is difficult and time-consuming work,” Viera says, “and I thank Alan and all of the other Council and Mayoral appointees who will dedicate a great deal of time to this endeavor. I was proud to appoint him to this position. It is important to have people who are responsible and quality on this Commission and Alan fits that bill. He is a good man and I know he will do an amazing job.” 

Cohn says that there is a constant struggle in Tampa about our form of government. 

“We have a strong mayor form of government,” he says. “I know there are people on the City Council who are frustrated that our Mayors can do whatever they want. And I know Mayors who have felt like Council meddles in what they’re doing. I think that we need to bridge the gap here and create a situation where there’s a much better working relationship between the City Council and the Mayor, because it has been incredibly divisive for too long. And, as to how the City Charter could have an impact on [that relationship] is part of what we want to work at, to make sure that it meets the moment. It’s no coincidence that people who have served on the Charter Review often become City Council members afterwards.” 

Cohn also says that he would love to help the Rays Major League Baseball team move to this side of Tampa Bay and that he definitely supports the recent development of downtown Tampa. “I would like to see more of it, but I’d like to see it be affordable to most people. I also want to help bring more family-friendly things and restaurants to right here in New Tampa, so you don’t always have to go downtown.” 

And, although he is Jewish, Cohn says, “I’ve always had strong support in the local Muslim community because it’s been based upon a shared dedication to civil liberties. The last few years have definitely put strains on those relationships, but I will seek to open that dialogue again. As Luis says, New Tampa is a very diverse community of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus, so we all need to start talking to each other.” 

And, speaking of dialogue, he says, “I will be pesky in terms of my invitations to other City Council members to come up here because even though I’d be representing New Tampa on City Council, I’ll still also responsible for making decisions for South Tampa and Seminole Heights. We all have a responsibility to know how our issues impact the other areas of the city. I’m going to use my energies and my voice to do that.” 

In conclusion, Cohn says, “Patty and I love our community. I’m blessed with not only an understanding wife, but with someone who also has her finger on the pulse here. We complement each other that way.” 

New Tampa’s Morris Lopez To Run For City Council!

Photo by Charmaine George

 I first met Morris Lopez 30 years ago, when he opened the original Amigos Spanish Café (later Las Palmas) restaurant in the same Pebble Creek Collection plaza where I moved the Neighborhood News office in 1995. 

Morris, who was born and raised in Tampa, and his wife Yvette (also in the photo) and their two daughters moved into a 1,600-sq.-ft., $89,900 house in the adjacent Pebble Creek community, “because it was the only place we could afford,” he says. 

At the time, Morris was only eight years into his now-38-year career with the Hillsborough County Fire Department, which did not then (and still does not today) have a location anywhere in New Tampa. 

So, how did the career Hillsborough County firefighter and current shift commander decide that he wants to run for the District 7 Tampa City Council seat being vacated in 2027 (or possibly before) by two-term incumbent Luis Viera? 

Well, first of all, Morris’ childhood home was in District 7 and he moved his family to Tampa Palms after selling Amigos three years after opening it. 

“I’ve been serving the public my entire adult life and I want to continue to serve,” he says. “And honestly, Luis has inspired me.” 

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Morris said while sitting with Yvette and me in the restaurant at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club. “Once I got promoted with Hillsborough County, after 38 years and getting promoted into admin, I dealt with a lot of events and the political side of it.” 

He added, “And, I met Luis (Viera) and got to know him a little bit, and became a fan of his, watched what he did out here and I just loved the fact that he was for all of the people and very much into public safety. And, he did a couple of things for us that were unexpected, including the tribute he did — and got City Council to do — for my grandfather, Morris Lopez I — and he’s actually working now on naming a street for him, which I think is very special — and I became a fan.” 

For those who don’t know, or read Luis’ Facebook posts, Tampa Police Patrolman Morris Lopez was gunned down from a passing car while on his patrol in Ybor City on July 9, 1949. He was only 25 years old. The case remains unsolved to this day. 

“I never got to meet my grandfather,” Morris said. “But, it was because of his service that I became a firefighter and I so appreciate Luis recognizing his service and his sacrifice.” 

So, when Viera announced that he was leaving his seat, Morris said, “Believe it or not, that’s the first time that I ever thought about it. For 38 years, I’ve been in public service and now, at an administrative level. The next thing for me, to continue to serve, is to move into some kind of non-partisan position like this — where I can actually have a voice like I have at my job. I think I can transition into [elected office] and do well.” 

A Lifetime Of Service 

Morris started his career with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue in 1987, as a firefighter at the Gibsonton station, but soon moved to his “home” area of District 7 and the University area, “at the two busiest stations in the county. I never thought I’d one day be able to maximize my career, but I’ve done it.” 

When I mentioned that his inspiration for opening his restaurant may have come from him doing a lot of the cooking during his 24-hour firefighter shifts, Morris said, “We don’t even allow the firefighters to cook now until they build their skills, but I’m not in the stations anymore.” 

But now, as a shift commander, he said, “I am responsible for that whole shift [for the entire county], so after 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays, I’m pretty much running the entire department. It’s a lot different now than it was when I was a firefighter and my only responsibility was to clean toilets (and maybe do some cooking) and I only made $5.87 an hour — which is the reason my wife and I had to have a small business.” 

He started cutting grass out of his truck, “and I would take my crews to that deli that guy had [in the Pebble Creek Collection] and I became the first to bring Cuban food to New Tampa.” 

(L.-r.) Courtney, Danielle, Morris & Yvette Lopez & Yvette’s mom Onellia Martinez (Photo provided by Morris Lopez)

Yvette added, “We got married in 1990 and built our first house in Pebble Creek, because it was affordable. I was working at USAA (the giant insurance headquarters building in Tampa Palms) and we decided to raise our family here.” 

Although they are doing some remodeling at their home, Morris says that he still has the story we published in the Neighborhood News about Amigos back in 1995. 

Yvette also acknowledged that she and her husband were among the very few people living in New Tampa at the time, “who were both originally from Tampa. Most everyone else was from someplace else. They’d say, ‘You’re from Tampa and you live out here?’” 

It wasn’t long before Morris and Yvette decided to move to Tampa Palms. “The reason was because we had two young daughters (Danielle and Courtney) and I was — and still am — a very big advocate of the county’s public school system,” Yvette said. “My dad taught at Plant High School for 37 years. And I said, ‘These schools are good. We want to raise our children here.’ And what an experience we had, taking our children from Tampa Palms Elementary to Liberty [Middle School] to Freedom [High] and then to USF!” 

Morris added, “We’ve only owned two residential homes in our entire lives. Pebble Creek was our ‘starter’ and I worked very hard to save enough money to afford a lot in Tampa Palms, when Yvette was pregnant with our second daughter (Courtney) — in 1997, after I sold the restaurant. I was still doing the landscaping and the money from the sale was the only way we could afford to move here. This is our forever home. We’re not going anywhere.” 

The Election Itself 

Morris said he has heard about some possible opponents for the Dist. 7 seat, but he isn’t concerned about whether or not he will have competition for it. 

“I haven’t really delved into that,” he said. “It’s more about finding out if I had viability [as a candidate] myself. I’ve gone down the list and looked at what kind of support I could get and I feel very comfortable about that. But, the most important thing is my wife and how important she is to me and whether or not she wanted us to take on this challenge.” 

Yvette smiled, “I honestly think it’s more of an opportunity. We’ve just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary and I always say that the only thing he’s been committed to longer than myself is the Hillsborough County Fire Department. The one thing I will say about him is that he’s a committed, loyal man — as he is to me and as he is to his department, he will be to the people of this District and this city. I’ve watched him grow from being a firefighter to being a Division Chief and he has used that platform to represent where he came from and he can do that now.” 

She also noted, however, that, “We both grew up middle class and I used to think that you can’t really have a voice unless you have money, that money is power. But, you know what? Having a sincere desire to serve and help people and make a difference, I now think that’s what you really need.” 

Morris added, “I maximized my position with the Fire Department and I became a voice and I was able to do things for my people and actually plant seeds and watch them grow. I don’t want that to stop.” 

As an example of his voice, Morris said that, “We’ve made so many changes in Hillsborough County in the Fire Department. We’ve grown so much and to help with that growth — helping with quicker response times, knowing the area and being so involved for so long, and now, we’re going to be one of the best departments in the nation.” 

Morris said that he believes that if elected, he can finally get the additional ambulance unit in K-Bar Ranch that Viera has been fighting for with Tampa Fire Chief Barbara Tripp. “Until I became an admin, I spent 34 years in the union and I have to walk that fine line every day,” he said. “I have to protect my admin family in the Fire Department but also co-mingle with the union. I’ve been that mediator between our union and our admin because I was part of it for so long.” 

He added that, “When we lived in Pebble Creek, if there was a call for a cardiac arrest in our neighborhood, our Ladder Truck [from Hillsborough Station No. 5, north of E. Fletcher Ave.] would drive right past Tampa Station No. 20 on Bruce B. Downs in Tampa Palms. But now, we pay the city to cover [Pebble Creek, Cross Creek and Live Oak] because that’s the best way to get those county residents the best service at this time.” 

Top Priority: Keeping People Safe 

“My top priority will be public safety,” he said, “but also infrastructure and transportation and traffic. We’ve grown so much in Tampa, but there are things we can do to improve the services we provide, so those items will be most important going forward. What I’m going to bring to the table is that I’m an information gatherer and although I’m only one decision-maker (out of seven), I will have a voice. I will do what I do for people in my department and carry that over to the residents of the district and the city. I will have the same passion in office as I do now when I serve my people in my department. That’s what my platform is.” 

Yvette added, “Morris is the person you can go to if you have a problem. He will have a very open-door policy and the people need to know that he’s going to listen to every voice and help the city and county to work together.” 

And finally, he said, “The county has been so good to me, but my heart and soul are in the city. I don’t want this to be about my grandfather, but he gave his life for the city. My dad was two years old when that happened. He grew up without a father and I grew up with nothing. That’s my inspiration. I would feel like I was doing him an injustice if I didn’t try this, no matter how it turns out. 

“I looked into the viability, got my wife’s support and I realized this could happen.” 

If and when Viera vacates his seat next year — if he is able to gets elected to replace House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell in House District 67 the State Legislature, “I will have an interview with the City Council. If that goes well, I could be appointed to the seat, but I still have to be prepared to run for it, too. I will file all of the paperwork by the first of the year. 

“This isn’t a political aspiration,” Yvette said. “He wants to run to make a difference.”

Stephanie Vazquez To Challenge Seth Weightman For Dist. 2 Commission Seat 

District 2 Pasco County Commission candidate Stephanie Vazquez and her family. (All photos for this story were provided by Stephanie Vazquez) 

The next election for the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) isn’t until November of 2026, so why is Wesley Chapel resident Stephanie Vazquez already declaring that she is going to run as a Democrat to oppose current Republican District 2 Pasco Commissioner Seth Weightman? Stephanie is the first candidate to throw a hat into the race to unseat Weightman for the Dist. 2 seat. Here’s why: 

If you’re unfamiliar with Pasco County government or new to the area, Pasco is divided up into five districts, with District 2 including a large portion (but not all) of Wesley Chapel, as well as about half of Land O’ Lakes, and small (but important) portions of unincorporated Zephyrhills and Lutz. 

Vazquez, who has been a resident of District 2 since 2013 (there will be more on this later in this story), moved to our area from Pittsburgh, PA. Like many northerners, she primarily wanted to escape the snow. 

With Wesley Chapel being the fastest-growing area of not just Pasco, but also one of the most quickly expanding areas of Florida and the entire nation, Vazquez believes that the time is now for a change in county leadership. 

“I’ve thought about running for several years,” she says, adding that even though she’s new to politics, her background has prepared her for leadership and, “The time is now.” 

The Right Background, The Right Person 

Vazquez currently works as a remote marketing manager for Northeastern University in Boston, MA, but she also is enrolled as an online student at the school, as she is working towards her second Master’s degree, this one in Public Administration, and expects to graduate in 2026. She believes that degree is helping to prepare her for the job she’s now seeking. 

She earned her first Master’s degree, for Entrepreneurship in Applied Technologies, in 2016 from the University of South Florida and she previously earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Sciences from Bellevue University in Bellevue, NE, in 2010. 

But, Vazquez says, her decision to run is about a lot more than just her educational background. Most of her recent work experience, beginning with her service in the U.S. Air Force as a Senior Airman, working in airfield management, both in the states and overseas in Germany, is about public service. When she left the military, she says she wanted to continue fighting, but on two different kinds of battlefields most people never see. 

Vazquez (second from left) appearing on “10 News” WTSP-TV as a panelist on a discussion about human trafficking. 

The first was her seven-year service as an Advisory Board member for the Post 9/11 Veterans Corp., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on, “providing a platform, a starting point, and a place of belonging, where veterans are encouraged to integrate into their local communities and inspire through actions.” 

The more recent battle was against Human Trafficking. As a vice president of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking and a Board member of both the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking and the NISSI Project (which provides housing for verified adult female victims of human trafficking) for six years, Vazquez says she helped build these national and local programs to tackle exploitation at its roots: opening a safe house, building recovery programs and training thousands to recognize and stop injustice. 

She later honed her public speaking and writing skills while holding a public servant government position as a public information officer for the City of Zephyrhills. 

A Campaign Forged By Hard Times 

Vazquez says she hasn’t had it easy, explaining that growing up poor helped build her character, not just once, but twice in her life. Born in Flint, MI, her dad was a young Marine veteran who worked part-time at a local drug store while also going to college part-time to try to earn a basic degree. Meanwhile, her mother was a stay-at-home mom, but both of her parents’ families came from generational poverty, so between her dad’s paycheck and essential government services like food stamps, she said it was barely enough to keep them from going hungry. 

She remembers growing up having to “do without” most of the time, as her family stretched everything they had, often having to eat the same one meal multiple times in row. 

“The most disgusting thing was the powdered milk, mixed with water,” she says, “because real milk was too expensive for us. I can still taste it.” 

Years later, Vazquez found herself in a similar situation, just out of a relationship that wasn’t working. As a single mom of three, she moved to Florida, with kids who were 4, 3, and 3 months old. She was unable to afford child care or find a job that paid enough to put them in daycare, so she found herself below the poverty line, receiving government assistance. 

“I used to take my kids to Walmart so they could play with toys,” she says, “because we couldn’t afford to buy any.” But, these struggles forced her to develop the ability to get by, and evolve, leaning on her experience from the military. She says that when you’re poor and struggling, “you don’t think about politics, you think about how to survive.” That experience makes her want to stand up for working class families. 

“Pasco deserves better than business as usual,” she says. “Our families are paying the price while a handful of insiders cash out. I’m not a politician. I’m a veteran, a mom and a community advocate who believes Pasco should work for the people who live here, not for the powerful few calling all the shots.” 

But, why should people vote for her? 

“The incumbent was hand-picked by insiders, and swept-in through a closed primary,” Vazquez says, adding that the current commissioners, including her opponent, continue to vote to allow more and more growth, “before the county is ready for it. But, I’m not part of the county political machine, I’m part of this community.” 

She says that Weightman was, “a strategically chosen candidate” by the local powers that be. “But, I want clean government, not back-rooms deals, with decisions made in the open, with transparency and accountability.” 

Here are the issues Vazquez says her campaign her campaign will be about: 

• Fixing broken roads, drainage and outdated storm systems. 

• Preparing for future challenges like flooding and climate change. 

• Establishing term limits to break the cycle of insider control. 

• Curbing reckless growth that strains neighborhoods and schools. 

Speaking Of Schools… 

She and her husband Yamani Vazquez Martinez have built their life in Pasco, raising a blended family of six children. All of their kids have either graduated from, or currently attend, Pasco’s public schools and Yamani currently is serving as an assistant principal at Cypress Creek Middle School. 

Vazquez believes strongly in the power of education, and personally feels that new large-scale developments should be required to include school sites, so that the children living in those communities can go to schools in or near their own neighborhoods, as well as to keep class sizes appropriate and have fewer portable classrooms throughout the district. Vazquez says that overcrowding of classrooms can be avoided through, “proper, thoughtful planning. If the population is increasing, we need to prioritize schools, and developers need to pay their fair share.” 

But, speaking of paying their fair share, Vazquez says, “In August 2024, Commissioner Weightman was the only Pasco commissioner to vote against raising school impact fees, which are one of the few ways to hold developers accountable and fund schools as costs rise. He chose developers over Pasco‘s kids.“ 

Vazquez also has posted a video to her social media opposing House Bill 5101 — legislation that would reduce public school funding statewide. The video, which breaks down the bill’s potential impact on local classrooms, has garnered more than 40,000 views and hundreds of comments from educators, parents and concerned voters. 

“I’ve spent years fighting for people who have been overlooked or outright ignored — including our teachers,” Vazquez says. “I didn’t expect the video to take off, but I think it hit a nerve. People are tired of watching public education be gutted while our kids and teachers are left behind.” 

She acknowledges that if she was to be elected, there may not be much she can do to directly help increase teacher salaries, which are controlled by the Pasco School Board, but says that helping to fund schools with BCC-controlled development impact fees would be her top priority, with #2 being funding for new and improved roads, and #3 being flood mitigation and drainage projects. 

These school issues hit close to home for Vazquez, because Yamani has been an educator for 15 years. Education, administration and school athletics are important to him, as he previously was the head coach of Wiregrass Ranch High’s softball team for eight years. 

To Develop Or Not To Develop? 
Stephanie Vazquez says it’s time for a change in Pasco County leadership.

Vazquez wants voters to know that she is NOT anti-development. She just wants the BCC to consider three important questions: 

“Do we need it? Does it put the people of Pasco first? Are we ready for it?” 

She feels that these questions would help the county avoid the “Gold Rush Mentality,” where developers just want to make money and then leave, sticking taxpayers with gridlocked roads, overcrowded schools and neighborhoods that flood with every storm. She says that this type of reckless development, which seems to be running rampant in Pasco, “favors insiders over families. But, enough is enough.” 

As for what she envisions District 2 to look like 10 years from now, Vazquez she says that our area already is becoming the hub for health care in Pasco County and should continue to do so, with more new hospitals and medical offices continuing to be added to the local landscape. She sees this medical hub being surrounded by thriving communities, with schools, walkable green spaces and family-centered resources. She also believes that Pasco, and by proxy District 2, as “Florida’s Sports Coast” is a good idea and that she, “would love to see that continue to grow.” 

“That would include more year-round sports people can play, facilities that offer good-paying jobs and more options for youth sports programs,” as some in our area (like the Wesley Chapel Athletic Association’s youth baseball and softball programs) can’t handle all of the kids who want to play. She believes that the Wesley Chapel District Park is at maximum capacity, saying that although it’s a great facility, parking and traffic “can be challenging.” 

“We need more [sports] options in the District. The Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus has been fantastic,” but its primary function is to provide a location for sports tourism. “What we need are more green spaces and fields throughout the area.” 

She says that if proposed large-scale developments are unwilling to include parks and school sites in their communities, she would, “Vote No!” She believes that the BCC is responsible for the over-development of Pasco County and Wesley Chapel in particular. “Yes, a lot of people have been moving here, and leadership has been swept up in that,” she says, but the commissioners should have tried harder to control Pasco’s growth. 

The Bottom Line? Forget Politics 

For Vazquez, this race isn’t really about politics. “It’s personal,” she says. “I’m not backed by big money. I’m not here to make deals behind closed doors. I’m here to fight for every family who feels like their voices have been drowned out. Pasco belongs to all of us, it’s time to take it back.” 

She adds, however, that she knows it won’t be an easy fight to win. 

“Since there is currently a Republican majority, not only in Pasco County, but in Florida and the Federal Government,” she says, “I know it can feel like we’re just little blue dots in a sea of red, but the truth is, there are more of us than we realize. And I’m not just talking about Democrats. Voters with no party affiliation, independents and even longtime Republicans are starting to move away from the noise and division and toward something better: people over party, progress over politics and community over chaos. We all want the same basics — strong schools, safe neighborhoods and honest leadership. And those aren’t red or blue issues. They’re people issues. Win or lose, I’m proud to be fighting for that.” 

When asked about working across the aisle, with an otherwise red majority, Vazquez says that her background proves she’s capable of doing just that. “I worked with (District 1 Commissioner) Ron Oakley successfully for many years when I was with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking. It’s about the work we’re doing and who we’re doing it for.” 

She adds, “I listen to everyone, regardless of who they voted for, and what political leanings they have.” In other words, she says, “Many issues are by-and-large nonpartisan,” she says. “So, if you want different, vote for me!” 

But, considering that the seat Vazquez is eyeing has not seen Democratic representation yet in this millennium, the stage is set for what could be one of Pasco County’s most closely watched commission races — especially in light of the fact, Vazquez says, that Weightman won his first election, even though he may have been living outside the district in which he was elected, which would be a violation of a Florida Constitution mandate. 

“Commissioner Weightman bought a property with a mobile home in District 2 during his campaign, but a lot of people in Pasco say he doesn’t actually live there, and that he still lives at his longtime home in Dade City, which is outside the district. It’s raised real concerns about whether he’s truly representing the community he was elected to serve and that he may be violating residency requirements for holding the seat.” 

Meet the Candidate 

If you’d like to meet Vazquez, she will officially launch her campaign at a public kickoff event on Tuesday, May 20, 6 p.m., at Meals on Wheels, 38112 15th Ave., Zephyrhills. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. and attendees are encouraged (but not required) to bring nonperishable food donations to support Meals on Wheels. 

At the event, Vazquez said she will have what she describes as a “Vision Board” — not something with her vision, but a blank board where attendees can write how they envision a better Pasco County. “I like public feedback,” she says. 

If you’re not able to attend that event but would like to hear Vazquez’s viewpoints and opinions on certain topics, search “Stephanie Vazquez Pasco” on Instagram, where she posts often. Or, scan the QR code (left) to access her campaign kickoff event page. 

Nov. 5 Is Only 3 Weeks Away. How Will New Tampa Vote? 

The Presidential Election Is The Centerpiece But County & State Races & Amendments Also Will Help Shape Life Here 

Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump: Only one can be elected the 47th President of the United States on Tuesday, November 5. (Photo: Associated Press) 

On Tuesday, November 5, voters across the U.S. will elect a new President and Vice-President. And, while there are other candidates on the ballot, there’s no doubt that either current Vice-President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump will be elected the 47th president of the U.S., and their respective running mates — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz or Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance — will become our next Vice-President. 

Yes, the election will be historic no matter who wins. Harris would be the first woman, the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent to ascend to our country’s highest office. 

Trump would be the first President since Grover Cleveland (who won in 1884 and 1892, after losing in 1888, despite winning the popular vote) and the second in history to regain the office after losing his first attempt at a second term. And, no matter what you think about his trial for falsifying business records, Trump also would be the only convicted felon to become President. 

But, while this election also comes at one of the most volatile times in our nation’s history — with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East, the very real threat of Chinese aggression against Taiwan and Republicans and Democrats pointing fingers at each other for the myriad of problems we face domestically — there is little doubt that this will be one of the most hotly contested Presidential elections in history. 

And, while that’s actually a good thing, because it likely means that more people will be casting ballots than ever before — probably surpassing the record 155+ million who cast ballots in 2020 — it also probably means that all of the candidates down-ballot, from U.S. Senator to local Community Development District races, can expect larger-than-usual voting numbers, too. 

Yes, some people will only vote in the Presidential race while others will vote in every race except for President, but for anyone who cares about life not only in our country but in our state and local communities, this is an opportunity to truly let your voice be “heard.” 

And, with super-controversial State Constitutional Amendments — including abortion rights and recreational marijuana — also on the Nov. 5 ballot, the hope here is that local voters will look beyond the non-stop TV ads on those issues and try to read the texts of those amendments (difficult though it may be) to decide what you truly think is the right thing to do with your vote. 

If that feels like a lot of pressure to you, just imagine what all of the candidates on your ballot (see pages 4-5) are feeling right now as they come down to this election’s home stretch. 

Speaking of which, Vote by Mail ballots were sent out beginning on Oct. 3 and are due back by no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. The Early Voting period begins on Monday, October 21, and runs through Sunday, November 3, and the New Tampa Regional Library (10001 Cross Creek Blvd.) is the closest Early Voting site for pretty much everyone who lives in zip code 33647, although the Victor Crist Community Center Complex (at 14013 N. 22nd St.) is a reasonable alternative Early Voting site for some of you. 

The deadline to register to vote in this election was Oct. 7, so if you’re not already registered to vote in Hillsborough County, you will not be able to cast a ballot here in this election. 

I also encourage you to know your polling place. If you don’t know where you are supposed to vote on Election Day, visit VoteHillsborough.gov to find out.

Please note that what appears above and below represents the entire sample ballot for voters who live in New Tampa. 

In addition to the Presidential election, the national races being contested that you have the ability to help decide are: 

U.S. Senator – Incumbent Republican Rick Scott vs. Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell , Libertarian candidate Feena Bonoan and two candidates with No Party Affiliation (Tuan TQ Nguyen & Ben Everidge) 

Dist. 15 U.S. Congress – Incumbent Rep. Laurel Lee vs. Dem. Pat Kemp 

State Races on this year’s ballot include: 

State Attorney, 13th Judicial Circuit – Appointed incumbent Rep. Suzy Lopez vs. Dem. Andrew Warren 

State Senator, Dist. 23 – Incumbent Rep. Danny Burgess vs. Dem. Ben Braver & Independent John Houman 

State Representative, Dist. 67 – Incumbent Dem. Fentrice Driskell vs. Rep. Rico Smith 

Hillsborough County races on the ballot: 

Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller – Incumbent Dem. Cindy Stuart vs. Rep. Victor Crist 

Property Appraiser – Incumbent Dem. Bob Henriquez vs. Rep. John Ballance 

Supervisor of Elections – Incumbent Dem. Craig Latimer vs, Rep. Billy Christensen 

County Commissioner, Dist. 2 – Incumbent Rep. Ken Hagan vs. Patricia Altagracia Alonzo 

County Commissioner, Dist. 6 – Rep. Chris Boles vs. Dem. Sean Shaw 

Justice of the Supreme Court – Shall Justice Renatha Francis be retained? 

Justice of the Supreme Court – Shall Justice Meredith Sasso be retained? 

District Court of Appeal – Shall Judge Anthony K. Black be retained? 

District Court of Appeal – Shall Judge Edward C. LaRose be retained? 

District Court of Appeal – Shall Judge Susan H. Rothstein-Youakim be retained? 

School Board Member, Dist. 7 (runoff) – Incumbent Lynn Gray vs. Karen Bendorf 

Soil & Water Conservation District – Group 4 – Tyler Barrett vs. David Maynard 

State Constitutional Amendments on the ballot include: No. 1 – Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards; No. 2 – Right to Fish & Hunt; No. 3 – Adult Personal Use of Marijuana; No. 4 – Limit Government Interference with Abortion; No. 5 – Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions; No. 6 – Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Requirement 

Hillsborough County Referendum: No. 1 – Renewal of Community Investment 1/2-cent Sales Tax through Dec. 31, 2041; No. 2 – The School Board of Hillsborough County Millage Election for Public School Students 

Local Community Development District (CDD) Races (not shown on these Sample Ballots): 

Cory Lake Isles CDD, Seat 2 – Juan Jose Aliaga vs. Prasad Yealuru 

Tampa Palms OST CDD, Seat 4 – Louis Hector De Armas, Jr. vs. Brad van Rooyen 

Tampa Palms OST CDD, Seat 5 – Bob Lennon vs. Ram Ramadoss 

Please get out and vote, New Tampa! 

Mixed Bag Of Results For New Tampa Candidates In The August 20 Primary Election 

Electioneering at the New Tampa Regional Library on Primary Election Day (Aug. 20), were (above) County Commission candidate Jim Davison (with daughter Allie), Dist. 67 Florida House candidate Rico Smith (below right) and Pebble Creek activist Leslie Green and her husband, Dr. Mike Green (below left). 

On Aug. 19, the day before the Primary Election throughout Florida, New Tampa resident Dr. Jim Davison told me that he felt he had run his best campaign yet — and believed that he would defeat Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Boles in his bid for the Republican nomination for countywide District 6, where incumbent Democrat Pat Kemp was leaving her seat to challenge for the U.S. Congressional seat held by Dist. 15 incumbent Laurel Lee. (Note – Rep. Lee easily earned the Republican nomination on Aug. 20 to face Kemp on Tuesday, November 5). 

“It’s in the hands of the voters,” Davison told me that day. “My fate is already sealed. But either way, I’m going to light a cigar, see what happens and be satisfied with what I’ve worked to accomplish this time around.” 

Unfortunately for Davison — who previously has run for both the County Commission (against current District 2 incumbent Ken Hagan; more on him below) and Tampa City Council (losing by 65 votes in a runoff election to now-two-term incumbent Luis Viera in Dist. 7) — it again wasn’t meant to be. Davison lost 59%-41% to Boles, who will now face Democratic Primary winner and former State Rep. Sean Shaw for the Dist. 6 seat in Nov. 

And, although he was a lot stronger in New Tampa’s 25 voting precincts (see chart below) — where he earned nearly 48% of the vote — than he was countywide, Davison still finished behind Boles on the local ballots, too, despite being a strong-voiced advocate for New Tampa at both City Council and County Commission meetings for more than two decades. 

Meanwhile, Hagan, the former New Tampa resident, easily defeated Melissa Nordbeck 78.2%-21.8% (Hagan was even stronger in New Tampa, where he earned 82.1% of the vote), and will face Democrat Patricia Alonzo in his attempt to keep alive his 22-year streak of serving either in District 2 or a countywide Commission seat — the longest tenure of any current Hillsborough commissioner. 

In one of the more contentious races last month, Tampa Palms resident and incumbent District 3 Hillsborough County School Board member Jessica Vaughn convincingly defeated Myosha Powell — 59%-41% — to retain her seat. Vaughn, who won nearly 63% of the vote in New Tampa’s 25 precincts, survived a number of nasty attack ads (including being called a Hamas terrorist) and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ endorsement of her opponent to retain her seat. 

“The race was unfortunately ugly and had me more concerned about my safety and my family’s safety,” Vaughn told me a few weeks before the election. “I’ll be relieved when it’s over either way.” 

In the other School Board race where New Tampa residents had a vote — District-wide Dist. 7 — incumbent and long-time former teacher Lynn Gray advanced to a November runoff against Karen Bendorf in that four-candidate race. Neither Gray (35.1%) nor Bendorf (30.3%) received close to the 50% + 1 vote needed to win the seat outright. In fact, if the rest of the county voted the same way New Tampa did, Bendorf would not have even advanced to the runoff, as third-place finisher Johnny Bush received more votes in our 25 precincts (24.1%-23.7%) than Bendorf did. 

Also winning handily in Aug. was New Tampa resident and former County Commissioner, State Rep. and State Sen. Victor Crist, who defeated Melony Williams with more than 68% of the vote (nearly 71% in New Tampa), to secure the Republican nomination for Clerk of the Court & Comptroller. Crist will face incumbent Clerk (and former School Board member) Cindy Stuart. Crist, who is still recovering from a serious car accident that occurred not long before the Primary, is far behind Stuart in fund raising, but he also is a well-known local name, so that Nov. race should be interesting. 

State & National Races 

Republican incumbent U.S. Senator and former Gov. Rick Scott faced little resistance from his Primary Election opponents Keith Gross and John Columbus, but his campaign against Democratic primary winner Debbie Mucarsel-Powell — a former U.S. Representative from Miami-Dade County, could be an interesting one with truly national implications, with the split in the Senate currently sitting at 50 (46 Democrats and four independents who either caucused or are considered to be with the Dems for committee purposes) to 49 Republicans, and one seat open. 

If Mucarsel-Powell (who easily defeated three opponents in Aug.) can flip that Senate seat in Nov. — and some recent polls do show her as being ahead by a few percentage points — the Democratic Party could retain control of the Upper House of Congress. Of course, a lot will depend upon the outcome of the Presidential election between former President Donald Trump and current Vice-President Kamala Harris and whether or not the winning candidate proves to have coattails that flip other seats in both houses. 

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee, who maintains an office in Tampa Palms, grabbed 72.5% of the vote (70.6% in New Tampa) to easily outdistance opponents James Judge (18.2%) and Jennifer Barbosa (9.3%) to face off against Kemp, who had to give up (due to term limits) the countywide Dist. 6 County Commission seat she has held since first being elected in 2016. Kemp, who also was an aide to current Dist. 14 U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (when Castor served on the County Commission) and former U.S. Rep. Sara Romeo, has been a popular Hillsborough commissioner, but will also have to be able to earn votes from Republican-leaning areas like Wesley Chapel and parts of Polk County to unseat Rep. Lee, will have her work cut out for her. 

And, in the battle to face incumbent Democrat (and State House Minority Leader) Fentrice Driskell for her Dist. 67 Florida House seat in Nov., two New Tampa Republicans squared off — Dr. Lisette Bonano, who lost to Driskell in the 2022 election, and Rico Smith (who previously planned to run for the Dist. 6 Hillsborough Commission seat being given up by Kemp but who switched to vie for Driskell’s seat in January, after conferring with party leaders in Tallahassee). Smith, an engineer and a U.S. Air Force vet, defeated Bonano (a retired U.S. Army officer) 56.5%-43.5% in Aug. (57.5%-42.5% in New Tampa). But, according to TransparencyUSA.org, Smith was far behind Driskell in terms of fund-raising and will surely have his hands full trying to unseat this rising star in the Democratic party.

Judicial & Other Races 

One of the most closely-watched races in November will be between former twice-elected Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren, the Democrat who was suspended from his seat (for allegedly not following his duties), and the Republican Gov. DeSantis replaced him with — Suzy Lopez. Warren easily dispatched Elizabeth Martinez Strauss on Aug. 20 (70.3%- 29.7%), so it remains to be seen if Warren can keep Lopez from winning a full term in Nov. 

There also were two judgeships up for election, including New Tampa resident Linette “Star” Brookins, who lost the County Court Judge Group 11 seat to Christine Edwards by 57.4%-42.6%, but who lost in New Tampa’s 25 precincts by less than 2% (50.9%-49.1%). 

Voter Turnout 

Whether it’s always been deserved or not, New Tampa’s voters have long been known in both the city and county for apathy and not showing up to vote — except for in Presidential Election years — but the Primary Election voter turnout countywide was 19.53% and New Tampa was barely behind that with 19.49%. 

When you consider that Pasco County as a whole — and the Wesley Chapel area, as well — had only about a 16% turnout, New Tampa didn’t fare too badly this time around and, with both a contentious Presidential election and a controversial county School Tax on the ballot, it may be possible for both the county and New Tampa to surpass the 2020 turnout of 76+%.