Ther is a new interim Orlando City Commissioner as voters in District 5 reject Mayor Buddy Dyer and disgraced Regina Hill to elect Shan Rose over Travaris McCurdy.
“I hope the voters realize that I am Champion for the people, I am not part of the status quo, and I will be a voice for this entire district, from downtown to Metrowest to Timbersound, to Pine Hills to Ivey Lane, to Malibu, to Mercy Drive, and back to Westlakes and Parramore,” new Interim City Commissioner Shan Rose told West Orlando News prior to the election.
Rose was able to defeat McCurdy despite Mayor Buddy Dyer and his powerful political allies jumping behind the loser. Rose won 54.5% of the vote, with 1,025 votes. There were 1,881 votes total, or about 9% voter turnout in the special runoff election – which is actually about on par for District 5 in normal elections.
As a Parrmore resident, former City of Orlando employee, and nonprofit executive, Rose said she knows how to fight for the community and deliver results.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer made a rare endorsement in an attempt to elect another rubber stamp vote on his City Council and it backfired big, exposing his political weakness in the Black community in District 5 that he has nearly destroyed and continues to gentrify. Dyer’s money was always behind McCurdy from the start, with political lobbyist Kelly Cohen donating early to his campaign, so it was not last minute support from the Mayor. McCurdy also briefly worked for Regina Hill at City Hall, but only for only a few weeks.
McCurdy and Dyer’s team also tried to attack the new Interim City Commissioner by saying she was fired from her City Hall position. But voters clearly prefer someone fired by Dyer’s administration than a candidate Mayor Dyer is endorsing, which is another slap in the face for Buddy. With how corrupt Mayor Dyer’s administration is, the community should always question when anyone actually fired, like how they pushed out Regina Hill’s aide who was a whistleblower that helped lead to the FDLE investigation that finally took her down.
Also, the city employees’ union endorsed Shan Rose – and if anyone would understand Mayor Dyer’s administration and employee treatment and reasons people left City Hall, it would be them. SEIU clearly stood behind Rose and made a statement against Mayor Buddy Dyer, and they won. The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) also endorsed Rose, showing workers wanted change on Dyer’s City Council.
The Pulse Victims and Survivors for Justice also supported Shan Rose in the runoff for interim Orlando Commissioner, and they have been battling Mayor Buddy Dyer and other City Commissioners for years. Now, they also have an ally on the Orlando City Council for the first time.
So while McCurdy easily collected support from Dyer’s powerful political network, Rose put together a community coalition and turned out enough votes to take her place on the Orlando City Council.
New Interim Orlando City Commissioner Shan Rose will have her hands full to be that “champion for the people” she campaigned on, as the forces of Buddy Dyer’s City Hall still remain powerful. For example, there are interests connected to suspended and disgraced Regina Hill attempting to build skyscrapers in Orlando’s poorest neighborhood, which has no infrastructure to support such projects.
“As it relates to skyscrapers, we must build to address the housing crisis, but it must be responsible, as not to displace the community,” Rose told West Orlando News.
This election was the chance for Orlando’s District 5 to bring in a new fresh face on the City Council and to elect someone to actually address the needs of the entire district. Shan Rose campaigned on just that and now she will have the opportunity to stand out on the Orlando City Council if she sticks to her campaign promises. She says she has fought and will continue to fight for positive change in the community.
