‘So thankful’: Mack Bernard coasts into Florida Senate seat unopposed

Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard is heading back to the Legislature, this time to its upper chamber, after no one else filed to run against him for the soon-to-be-vacant seat representing Senate District 24.

Bernard will succeed outgoing Sen. Bobby Powell, a fellow Democrat now seeking Bernard’s County Commission job.

“I am just so thankful for the opportunity to continue my service as a state Senator-elect, and I want to thank Sen. Powell for his leadership and advocacy and the Governor for giving the residents of District 24 the opportunity to prevent any gaps in representation,” Bernard told Florida Politics.

“This way, we can tackle issues facing our residents that I don’t think are that political, such as the housing crisis and inflation. I’m honored to have been elected without opposition, and I look forward to representing my constituents and the residents of the state of Florida.”

Bernard’s win Tuesday comes just over a year after he and Powell confirmed plans for a seat swap during the 2024 election. Powell resigned in mid-April and called on Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a Special Election for SD 24.

DeSantis obliged May 29. But the race had a shortened qualifying period that ended at noon Tuesday, three days earlier than most other statewide and local races.

Bernard will take his new seat after the General Election in November.

First elected in 2008 as a Delray Beach City Commissioner and Deputy Vice Mayor, Bernard won a seat in the House a year later, serving through 2012. His campaign said his prior service in Tallahassee included focuses on job creation, expanding protections for women’s health care and equality, and increasing public education funding. He also served as President of the Palm Beach County Caucus of Black Elected Officials.

In 2016, he won election to the Palm Beach County Commission, where he served terms as both Mayor and Vice Mayor. While there, his work on affordable housing initiatives won him recognition as “Housing Hero of the Year” from the Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County.

He’s also served on the Florida Association of Counties’ Tax, Finance and Administration Committee and the Florida Elections Commission.

His community involvements include time as Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of Leadership Florida, Chair of the Palm Beach Homeless Advisory Board, and Chair and Vice Chair of the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, among others.

Since June 2023, Bernard has raised more than $271,000 to support his SD 24 campaign. He spent less than $32,000 through May 31.

SD 24 spans a large portion of Palm Beach County’s coast from Hypoluxo to North Palm Beach.

Palm Beach Commission District 7, the area Bernard currently represents and that Powell is running to serve, includes all or part of Briny Breezes, Delray Beach, Gulf Stream, Hypoluxo, Lantana, Mangonia Park, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Shores, Riviera Beach, South Palm Beach and West Palm Beach.