Gabrielle Russon
The race for Orange County Mayor officially has its first candidate, as Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell has filed her intent to run for the job.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is term-limited, which means there could be a crowded race to replace him next year.
The Orlando Sentinel recently reported that several well-known local officials are considering running for County Mayor, including former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy and Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe.
The Sentinel also said other potential candidates could be Demings’ wife, former U.S. Rep. Val Demings, former Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh, and others.
The Orange County Mayor oversees a more than $7 billion budget. Orange County brings in millions of tourists every year, which helps generate a lucrative hotel tax to fund projects. But the community is also wrestling with an affordable housing crunch, a lack of public transportation, crowded roads and other problems.
Russell, a Democrat, has a long history in Central Florida politics, which led to some groundbreaking moments.
According to her bio, Russell was the youngest person elected to the Orange County Commission when she won the job in 2006. She served for two terms.
In 2014, she became both the first Black woman to be elected as a Clerk in Florida and the first Black Clerk ever in Orange County.
Russell’s background includes a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Florida and a Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law.
“Away from the office, Clerk Russell is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Psi Theta Omega Chapter and the St. Mark AME Church, Orlando, Florida,” her clerk campaign website said. “She is married to Anthony K. Russell, Jr. and they are the proud parents of Anthony K. Russell, III and Aiden K. Russell.”
