TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa’s openly gay former police chief has been elected its mayor in a landslide victory.
Voters elected 59-year-old Jane Castor in a runoff against 76-year-old retired banker and philanthropist David Stratz.
Castor said her victory with more than 73% of the 53,144 votes cast on Tuesday sends “a resounding message that Tampa is a positive community.”
Castor is Tampa’s first openly gay mayor-elect. She had come within 2 percentage points of winning the March 5 general election.
Stratz spent nearly $5 million on his campaign. He told his supporters it’s now time to rally around the new mayor. Both are Democrats.
Castor succeeds outgoing Mayor Bob Buckhorn in the non-partisan office.
