With about two years till the election, an area enterprise chief is mulling whether or not to leap into the Tampa mayoral race in 2027.
Two candidates have already filed for the competition: Alan Jared Henderson and Julie Magill. Mayor Jane Castor isn’t searching for re-election as a consequence of time period limits.
If Gary Hartfield decides to run, he would deliver a brand new part to a race that, even in its fledgling early days, is widely expected to function former Mayor Bob Buckhorn and present Tampa Metropolis Council member Bill Carlson as potential front-runners.
Hartfield is an entrepreneur and owns Serenity Village Insurance coverage & Consulting in South Tampa. Whereas he hasn’t formally introduced a bid, Hartfield confirms that he’s contemplating working, and has opened a political committee to start elevating funds, Innovate Tampa, which he opened in early July.
“I’m trying on the Mayor’s workplace as a result of I consider Tampa is at a turning level,” Hartfield mentioned. “Our metropolis is rising quick, however we’ve acquired to verify nobody will get left behind. I’ve constructed my life on creating alternatives by means of enterprise, by means of service, and thru group. I’m able to deliver that very same spirit to Metropolis Corridor.”
Valerie Goddard, a Tampa resident who’s the registered agent for Hartfield’s political committee, mentioned she’s supporting him as a result of Tampa wants an innovator.
“We’re excited to help a group chief who will help us construct Tampa’s future collectively,” she mentioned.
Hartfield, a self-described “serial entrepreneur,” has served because the Govt Director for the Polk County Alternative Council and authored the ebook “Stand,” a memoir about his “journey by means of marriage, separation, parenthood, entrepreneurship, divorce, and loss of life,” according to his LinkedIn bio.
He additionally serves on the All Hart Basis and on boards for a number of different nonprofits, together with United Means Suncoast, the Council of Tampa Bay, the St. Joseph’s-Baptist Well being Board of Trustees and CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas.
He additionally served on the Hillsborough Space Regional Transit Authority and the Plan Hillsborough Transportation Planning Group.
“I’ve expertise that introduced me success in enterprise,” Hartfield mentioned. “Now, I need to apply these expertise to the problems going through our metropolis. Our group wants extra jobs, higher help for small companies, reasonably priced housing options, and reduction from the rising price of residing, together with property insurance coverage. These are massive challenges, however collectively we are able to ship actual change for Tampa households.”
Whereas he’s not formally within the race, some have already begun expressing help.
“Gary represents the subsequent technology of leaders we desperately want on the municipal, state and nationwide ranges,” mentioned Hugh Campbell, a Tampa entrepreneur who based AC4S Applied sciences. “I’m supporting Gary for Mayor of Tampa — let’s go!”
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