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 Cohn Wants To Make A Difference In Congress

Congressional District 15 candidate and Grand Hampton resident Alan Cohn with his family (l.-r.) wife Patricia, daughter Ann and son Aaron. 

If you’re looking for a political candidate that you can trust to stand up for what is right for you, your family and your neighbor’s family, Alan Cohn says he’s that guy.

The long-time Grand Hampton resident is running for the redrawn U.S. Congressional District (CD) 15, which covers parts of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, and Cohn thinks the voters’ familiarity with his work as a former investigative reporter with ABC News in Tampa (and Sarasota) shows the kind of member of Congress he would be.

“What people have seen from me, from my work on ABC in Tampa, is a guy who has gone out and uncovered political corruption by both Democrats and Republicans,” Cohn says. “While people are skeptical (of politicians), they find in me a candidate who has called it out on both sides and has worked to make the community a better place already.”

This will be Cohn’s third attempt at winning a Congressional seat. He lost in 2014 to incumbent Republican Dennis Ross (60.3 percent to 39.7 percent) and in 2020 defeated Adam Hattersly in the Democratic primary before losing to Scott Franklin (R-Lakeland) 55.5%-44.6%.

However, the new congressional map for this election shifted CD 15 more towards Cohn’s favor as a Democratic candidate, while Franklin is now running in Florida’ 18th Congressional District. The new map doesn’t change CD 15 from being a Republican-favored seat but it’s closer to a 50-50 split than it was in 2020 and encompasses more of Cohn’s home turf.

“This is not the same Congressional District,” says Cohn, who was the last Democrat to enter the five-candidate field. “I waited for the maps to be final and looked very hard at this District. There’s only about 1,000 voters that separate Democrats and Republicans. This is a swing District.”

According to the Cook Political Report’s 2022 Partisan Voting Index (PVI), it also will be Florida’s closest, with whoever the Republican representative ends up being to be a 4-point favorite. The Republican field includes some well-known names in GOP circles, including former Secretary of State Laurel Lee, Sen. Kelli Stargel and Rep. Jackie Toledo and political newcomers Demetries Grimes and Kevin McGovern.

Cohn is running against four others in the Democratic primary — comedian Eddie Geller, political consultant Gavin Brown, third-generation Army veteran Cesar Ramirez and 30-year postal service veteran Bill VanHorn.

The heart of the new CD 15, Cohn says, is New Tampa, where he and wife Patty have raised their family. Their children, Ann and Aaron, graduated from Wharton High; Aaron is now pitching with Class A Stockton in the Oakland A’s organization.

Not only is Cohn recognizable from his time as a television reporter, but he has been a familiar face around New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

“This is where we are ingrained in our community,” Cohn says. “Most people have seen me on the ballfields. Patty and I have been so involved with the community. It’s such an incredible opportunity to serve now.”

Upon entering the race, Cohn quickly collected several big endorsements from the likes of former Governor and current gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, former State Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, former Florida Education Commissioner and USF president Betty Castor and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the co-chair of the Florida Congressional Delegation who also is the co-chair of candidate recruitment for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Cohn told FloridaPolitics.com he raised more than $100,000 in the first 14 days after filing to run on June 16.

“We have worked in this community and have voted in this community and will win because, in the short time I’ve been in the race, I have raised the resources to reach the voters that we need to reach,” Cohn says.

And, he says, those need-to-reach voters are predominantly independents. According to Cohn, how those with no party affiliation break in their voting, especially in CD 15, could determine the results of the upcoming election.

“That’s really our key,” Cohn says. 

The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, August 23, and the general Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8.

“We have been working with people who are interested in candidates who do reach across the aisle, who are problem solvers. That’s what I aspire to be,” Cohn says. “The fact of the matter is the last 9-10 months I’ve doing a lot of writing on the national level and here in Florida and calling out both parties when it’s been needed to be done.” 

Cohn has a number of issues he is focused on, such as lowering taxes, fighting against rising prescription drug costs, veterans’ issues, investing in education and much-needed improvements to our transportation infrastructure.

And, he thinks he can get other members of Congress on board as well. Despite the frayed nature of this country’s political discourse these days, where sides are taken based solely on political affiliation, and working with the opposition is frowned upon by the fringes of both parties, Cohn thinks his record shows an ability to reach across the aisle to get things done. And, Congress has to be fixed, he believes.

“If we fail, the country is in danger,” he says.

As one example, Cohn cites his work with District 12 Republican Congressman Gus Bilirakis in 2010, when Cohn exposed companies charging veterans large illegal fees. The law, however, had no teeth, and Bilirakis saw the report and filed a bill to give the law more of a bite, via criminal penalties.

Cohn, a 1985 graduated of Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, has a won a number of awards for his investigative reporting, most notably the prestigious 2007 Peabody Award for uncovering that defective parts had been installed on U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

“My record stands apart from anyone else’s,” Cohn says. “If you are a Republican, a Democrat or an independent, you’re frustrated and understandably cynical. And I’m a guy who not only wants to get results but has gotten results. Voters are tired of the nonsense they see on TV and read in the newspapers. I’m the guy who they remember getting solutions to real problems in this community, and I think that stands above anything.”