Janelle Irwin Taylor
Three Tampa Bay area unions are endorsing Hillsborough County Commission candidate Harry Cohen, his campaign announced Wednesday.
Cohen is running for the District 1 seat currently held by Sandra Murman, who is not seeking reelection.
The endorsements include the AFL-CIO’s West Central Florida Labor Council, the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association and the Tampa Police Benevolent Association.
“Harry has spent his entire career fighting for working people and working families. Whether it’s complex topics or commonsense issues, Harry has always been a thoughtful and serious public servant,” said West Central Florida AFL-CIO Treasurer Cheryl Schroeder. “We believe he’ll serve our community well and are proud to support him for County Commissioner.”
The West Central Florida AFL-CIO represents more than 45,000 active union members in Hillsborough County including both public and private sector workers along with the building trades.
The Tampa Police Benevolent Association represents nearly 1,000 sworn law enforcement officers.
“On the Tampa City Council, Harry was an unflinchingly dependable partner when it came to public safety. I witnessed firsthand how hard he fought for healthcare benefits for the city’s first responders as well as how attentively he engaged over the course of his eight years on the Hillsborough County Public Safety Coordinating Council,” said Darla Portman, president of the Tampa PBA. “On the Hillsborough County Commission, I know that Harry will continue to make emergency preparedness along with the safety of our officers a top priority.”
The West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association, meanwhile, has a membership of approximately 700.
“Many of those forming the ranks of these unions are the same heroes putting their lives on the line every day as they work through the havoc of the Coronavirus crisis,” Cohen said. “These are our first responders, our sanitation employees, our teachers, our plumbers and our bus drivers – among many others. They are the backbone of our society.”
Cohen pledges to support workers in all of the represented industries.
Cohen is running against Jen McDonald in the Democratic primary. Cohen has raised nearly $115,000 so far in the race. McDonald has raised just $45,000.
Two Republicans are also running — Scott Levinson and Tony Morejon. Levinson has raised less than $10,000 while Morejon has raised nearly $25,000.
