HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Tampa's newly elected city council will feature familiar faces and fresh ones.
District 3 was one of the most watched races, with incumbent Lynn Hurtack's seat challenged by former State Senator Janet Cruz.
"I had a what I assume was a Republican voter come up to me yesterday when I was campaigning and say, you know, I voted for you. I really liked the way you are just honest," said Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak says it's that honesty that she'll bring to every council meeting. She says her honesty likely brought bipartisan support during her run for city council.
Hurtak secured over 60% of the vote to remain on the council.
Her win is viewed by some, like University of South Florida Political Science Professor Edwin Benton, as a continuation of the dynamic between some council members and Mayor Jane Castor.
"I'll use a basketball expression. It's a full-court press that the mayor will be pressed almost on every instance," he said.
Benton feels we'll see more pushback on issues like Tampa's water usage.
"The Council is playing a role of trying to check the power, what they think is excessive power, that Mayor Caster is exercising," he added.
"I'm a researcher. I dive into topics, and I have a lot of questions. And I think that having conversation between council members and between the mayor is the way government should work," Hurtak said.
I asked Councilwoman Hurtak about the future and what she wants her legacy to be once the next four years are up. She said her goal is to build a more informed Tampa.
"I want people to know more about what the city does for them to feel the ownership that they can ask, come to the city and get results get answers," she said.
In the District 6 runoff, Charlie Miranda narrowly beat Hoyt Prindle. This will be Miranda's ninth term on Tampa's City Council. He was forced to run for District 6 after he hit the term limit for the citywide District two seat.
This year, Tampa voters approved three changes to the city charter, including adding additional term limits for the city council. According to the ordinance, a councilperson is limited to no more than a total of four consecutive full terms. This will go into effect in the 2027 election.
