Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said he plans to seek re-election next year, in what would be a pursuit of a sixth full term at City Hall.
Dyer, who won a fifth term in 2019 with 72% of the vote and the widest margin of his career, oversaw the city’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, massive protests downtown following the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis and has thrown his political might behind Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings’ 1% sales tax increase campaign to fund expansions to the transportation system.
“I continue to enjoy every day of this,” he said in an interview Tuesday.
Still, Dyer, 63, acknowledged it might be his last campaign as mayor.
“In all likelihood, the next term will be my last term,” he said.
Dyer was first elected in 2003 in a special election after then-mayor Glenda Hood was appointed Florida’s secretary of state. He’s since won five full terms, with key accomplishments including building the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the Amway Center and the UCF and Valencia downtown campuses at Creative Village.
His pursuit of extending the SunRail train to Orlando International Airport has gained steam in recent weeks, as well as bids to lure World Cup matches and the WorldPride celebration to the city in 2026.
“I love what I do. … I feel like I continue to make a difference,” he said. “There’s no lack of things to continue to work on.”
Orlando also faces key urban battles on housing affordability, homelessness and transportation access, which will continue to be top of mind for voters. Numerous studies have shown Metro Orlando — which extends from Sanford to Kissimmee — as having among the fastest rising rents in the country. A recent study by Dwellsy, an apartment listing company, showed a 57% increase in median rent here in March, year over year.
He hasn’t formally filed paperwork to run again. Dyer has plenty of time to do so since qualifying is more than a year from now, ahead of the election in November 2023.
Two candidates filed paperwork to run for the city’s top job last year: Safraaz Alli and Gertrude Pierre. Both have done minimal fundraising, though Alli, a Guyanese immigrant, has set up a website outlining a platform.
As a strong mayor form of government, the city’s chief executive officer is paid $220,180 annually.
It’s unclear who else will enter the race, though State Rep. Anna Eskamani told the Sentinel last month she thought she’d make a good mayor of her hometown “when the moment’s right.” But Eskamani is running for re-election this year for her re-drawn legislative seat. She said not to expect to see her on the mayoral ballot next year.
“I can serve up to eight years in the Florida legislature,” she said. “So hypothetically, who knows what’s going to happen in four years? But I am definitely incredibly passionate about my hometown.”
Dick Batchelor, a Democratic consultant, said Dyer’s reputation combined with his fundraising prowess would make him tough for anyone to topple.
“I don’t think he’ll have any problem getting re-elected,” Batchelor said.
rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com
