Jacob Ogles
Winter Park elected a familiar face as its new Mayor. City Commissioner Sheila DeCiccio will now lead the Orange County city.
Meanwhile, voters advanced Craig Russell and Jason Johnson to an April 16 runoff for DeCiccio’s spot on the City Commission.
DeCiccio decided to forgo re-election to run for the job of Mayor, as Mayor Phil Anderson is stepping down from the job
She faced Michael Cameron, who has demanded greater financial accountability in city government. DeCiccio has served on the Commission since 2020; she now holds the title of Vice Mayor.
DeCiccio won by a landslide, winning more than 71% of the vote to Cameron’s under 29%.
Meanwhile, neither Russell now Johnson won a majority to take the open Seat 2 race outright, but eliminated Stockton Reeves for the seat DeCiccio holds now.
Russell is a coach at Winter Park High School and has the support of the local Chamber of Commerce. He won almost 42% of the vote with one precinct remaining, according to unofficial election results from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections.
Johnson, a lawyer, ran on a platform to preserve Winter Park’s charm. He won almost 34%, according to unofficial results.
Reeves ran as a Republican for the House in 2018 but lost to Democrat Anna Eskamani. This time, he was just over 24% of the vote.
Orange County Democrats celebrated the results all around, as DeCiccio, Russell and Johnson are all party members.
“We are thrilled to see such outstanding Democratic candidates elected to key municipal seats across Orange County. Their victories demonstrate the strength and resilience of the Democratic Party in our region and reaffirm our collective commitment to building a more inclusive and prosperous future for all residents,” said Orange County Democratic Party Chair Samuel Vilchez Santiago.
“As we celebrate these victories, we recognize that there is still much work to be done. Despite not having a Presidential primary on our Democratic ballot, we engaged with thousands of voters ahead of these municipal elections and were able to get Democrats elected, or qualify for run-offs, in most of the contested seats across the county. The Orange County Democratic Party remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing policies that promote opportunities for all residents of Orange County. We extend our gratitude to the voters who participated in the democratic process and exercised their fundamental right to vote. Voters’ engagement is essential to the strength and vitality of our democracy.”
