Latest news with #JeremyMatlow
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Three candidates file for City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow's seat as he vies for mayor
Three new candidates have filed for City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow's seat on the dais, which he will be vacating to take a swing at landing the city's top post. PJ Perez and Talethia Edwards made their race for the position official Aug. 12, a day after Matlow announced his mayoral campaign, according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections. Norm Roche had filed earlier. The 2026 election could bring a slate of new faces to the board as Mayor John Dailey officially announced he will not be seeking re-election. Currently, only Matlow and a political unknown, Camron Cooper, are in the running for mayor. City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox's seat is also up for re-election, and so far, no one has filed to run against her. Each candidate vying for Matlow's spot is a fresh face to the elected board, and they have emphasized their desire to see the community united, saying it's time for a change. The Tallahassee Democrat reached out to each candidate to learn more about them and the beginnings of their campaigns. Norm Roche: A non-partisan running for a non-partisan seat Tallahassee was always a second home for Roche, and 10 years ago, he decided to make it his permanent home. Running for local office is both familiar and something Roche has considered before. He served as a Pinellas County Commissioner for four years and almost ran for a spot on the Tallahassee City Commission in 2018 after former City Commissioner Scott Maddox was ousted during the investigation of a notorious City Hall bribery scheme. Roche currently works at Costco as a merchandiser and forklift driver. Previously, he worked for the city in customer service operations for six years. Last year's pay negotiations with the firefighter union brought the idea of running back to the forefront of Roche's mind, especially after his nephew was among the string of firefighters who made the decision to leave the department because of low pay. At the time, he remembered thinking to himself, "We have to get some adults into the room here." Roche said he's watched the current board argue and take stands on state and federal issues when they should be focusing on city related issues. If he were to be elected, he said there would be at least one voice solely focused on the city. "What I have noticed, which brings me great concern about our city commission of late, is these are non-partisan seats, and what I'm seeing is this sort of partisan infection getting involved here," he said. Witnessing all of this, he said he felt compelled to get involved as a non-partisan running for a non-partisan seat: "That's an idea, isn't it?" Another pitfall under the current leadership is the divide between the city and county commissions, he said. The two are "inextricably connected," and a positive relationship is necessary for good community growth. His campaign's emphasis is on "community" and not "communities." "The problems that are faced in the south of the city are the same problems in the north — they are our problems," he said. "Whatever problems the south is facing, we're all facing, and it's going to take all of us to do it." PJ Perez: Local teacher takes on local politics Perez wants to be part of "a new kind of change." While he may have no political background, Perez said being a teacher the last 14 years puts him in an unique position to engage with the community. "Being a teacher forces you to be an effective communicator across so many different types of people," Perez said. In 2011, Perez started teaching world history at SAIL High School and since 2023, he's been teaching at Tallahassee Collegiate Academy, and if he were to win the race, Perez said he intends to keep teaching while holding office. "This isn't unprecedented; it's been done before," he said. He pointed to County Commissioner Brian Welch who has been a teacher at Chiles High School through his time in office. "When you're in a position like teaching, I've always thought of it as a public service," Perez said. "It doesn't feel like work, and it feels meaningful." Working and engaging directly with the community is what draws Perez to local politics, he said. A major issue he intends to address if voted into office is the affordability in Tallahassee. He said he sees the "affordability crisis" every day as he drives through the West Pensacola Street corridor on his way to school. "There's no doubt that a lot of people are struggling," he said. "It just seems like there are ways to reorient the vision around affordability and around building community." Perez has already drawn words of support from the Leon County Democratic Party Chair Ryan Ray, who is also the aide to Matlow. "What a positive time for democracy in Tallahassee," Ray wrote on Facebook while congratulating Perez. Talethia Edwards: 'The time has come' Edwards was not available for a full interview with the Democrat, but in a text message she said filing for City Commission Seat 3 was "a big leap, but I did it with the belief that our strength comes from unity." "The time has come, and I'm ready to serve!" she wrote. Edwards has championed southside communities for years as an activist, involving herself in numerous efforts to better the capital city. She's been described as a "powerhouse," "community organizer," "servant leader" and "firecracker," and she currently serves as executive director of Good News Outreach, a faith-based organization dedicated to relieving physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual isolation to those in our community. In an Aug. 13 radio interview with Pastor Greg James, Edwards said issues like homelessness and affordable housing are important to her. As for the timing of the run, she said "the time is here. I'm doing the work. And the opportunity is here. I'm ready to serve." She vowed to represent all 200,000 residents of Tallahassee. "I am ready to lead this community in a well balanced way that brings us together, that really focuses on the needs of the community holistically." More: In her own words: Talethia Edwards says community baby's story is one of 'hope and love' Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@ Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Three people file for Tallahassee City Commission Seat 3 Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow files to run for Tallahassee mayor in 2026
After spending much of the year laying the groundwork for a possible mayoral run, Tallahassee City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow made it official, filing the necessary paperwork and making a formal announcement about his plans. "As a business owner, local trail hiker, husband, father and product of Southside Tallahassee, I am uniquely qualified to bring our community together under a common vision and to seek collaboration with all that are willing to make Tallahassee a better place," Matlow said in a prepared statement. "Today, Aug. 11, I humbly announce my candidacy for mayor of Tallahassee." Matlow's candidacy sets up a likely political showdown with Mayor John Dailey, who has yet to file for re-election but has sent strong signals that he intends to seek a third term. Matlow, part of the progressive minority on the five-person City Commission, has long been at odds with Dailey, who serves with the establishment friendly majority. "As your Mayor, I'll dedicate my time to improving the way of life and affordable living for all Tallahasseeans, create high paying jobs, build reasonably priced housing and protect our neighborhoods and environment," Matlow said. " We'll welcome collaboration with our city's top minds to jump start economic development, revive arts, culture, and live music and strategically invest in underserved areas to ensure our future prosperity is felt by everyone. Matlow, a restaurant owner first elected to the City Commission in 2018, is in the middle of his second term as Seat 3 commissioner. His decision to run for mayor not only leaves that seat wide open in 2026 but also guarantees a change in membership on the City Commission for the first time in six years. Besides Matlow, one other candidate, Camron Cooper, has filed to run for mayor. However, Cooper, a Tallahassee native who resided most of his life just outside city limits, may not be able to qualify under tighter eligibility requirements recently approved by the City Commission. Meanwhile, the Seat 3 race has drawn only one candidate, Norm Roche, a former Pinellas County commissioner, who sought appointment to the commission in 2018 after City Commissioner Scott Maddox was suspended from office in the midst of an FBI public corruption probe. Check back with for more on this breaking story. Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@ or 850-599-2180. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Commissioner Jeremy Matlow files to run for Tallahassee mayor in 2026 Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Political unknown first to file for Tallahassee mayor race while seasoned leaders have not
Tallahassee officials are gearing up for one of the marquee local races of 2026, but so far, only a political novice has officially filed for the mayoral post while seasoned local leaders are still keeping their cards close to the vest. The political veterans who have expressed interest in the city's top post — the mayor himself, John E. Dailey, City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow and County Commissioner Christian Caban — have sent mixed messages about whether they'll actually run. After those closest to him initially indicated he wouldn't be running, Dailey spoke with the Tallahassee Democrat about a possible re-election before the All-America City competition in Denver, where the city took home top honors. The conversation was brief, as he said he was focused on other matters, but he expressed excitement for the work the city has accomplished and the accolades they've been getting. Dailey added that any news of his political future would come after July 4 weekend, as to not take away from the celebration of the city's latest All-America title and the family-focused holiday. Matlow initially said he'd only run for mayor if Dailey wasn't seeking re-election, but in an April radio appearance, he told Sean Pittman, a prominent Tallahassee lawyer and lobbyist, that he will be running for mayor outright. Matlow's aide, Ryan Ray, said the commissioner was unable to provide comment to the Democrat before publication because he was "doing other stuff" and "preoccupied." Around the same time as Matlow's radio interview, Caban appeared on the WCTV political talk show 'The Usual Suspects" and also said that he'd strongly consider running for mayor if Dailey didn't have plans to seek a third term. He hasn't made any further public moves to put these plans in motion, but as insiders now predict Dailey will run again, Caban remains non-committal. "However, if he chooses to run, our office would be glad to see him continue his career in public service." Caban said in a statement. "However, I have been steadfast in my call to action over the last few years on the need for attention to the important inner-city District 2 neighborhoods from Pensacola Street to the Tharpe Street corridor. I look forward to collaborating with the mayor's office to bring meaningful solutions to these vital parts of our community." While the three established politicians haven't filed for the mayoral office, Camron Cooper, 25, was quick to make his candidacy official June 27, according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office. Cooper, a Tallahassee native who goes by Camron Justice, told the Democrat in an interview that he knows he is the underdog in this race due to many factors – his age and lack of political experience to name a few – but not having the upper hand is something he said he's familiar with. "When you have someone with little political experience, and you have someone with 20 plus years of it, [people] automatically want to try to go with the guy with 20 plus years," Cooper said. "But just because you have experience doesn't mean that you're necessarily the best one for the job." "We're old enough to go to war for this country, we should be old enough to run for a seat to represent our cities and our communities," he added. While the political newcomer will be fighting an uphill battle in the polls, he currently is winning the social media game as some posts have garnered almost 230,000 views on TikTok, including a video posted on the day he filed to run. In his videos, he addresses his platform and talks about how he's right for the job despite the qualities that many might view as a reason to vote against him. People are being ignored, Cooper said, and he intends to change that. The budding politician has plans to improve things like housing affordability, homelessness, public safety, the arts district and small business survival in the capital city. "I've lived here my entire life," he said. "I've seen changes; I've seen things get better, seen things get worse. If I can be a part of that change and get us over the hump that I think we're at and allow us to achieve our greatness, then I want to be a part of that." City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox is the only other candidate who has filed for office, as she is seeking a re-election to her leadership role in Seat 5. "So today, July 1, 2025, we did a thing... Let's Go," she wrote on a Facebook post with a photo from the Election Supervisor's office. Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@ Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 2026 Tallahassee mayor race: Newcomer files to run as incumbents wait
