Earlier this month, Orlando voters whittled a dozen candidates in three open City Council seats down to four, with solid winners in Districts 1 and 5 and the District 3 race to be determined in a December 9 runoff. And we suspect that — given the opportunity — District 3 voters would choose the option of “both.” That’s because the top two vote-getters in that race, who were separated by just 14 votes, have made a compelling case that either of them would be an excellent choice.
Unfortunately, the city’s charter only allows one council member per district. So voters must choose between two people, both carrying broad-based support and offering sharp, focused and insightful positions on the big issues facing Orlando. Either of them would be a valuable member of the council. The defining difference lies in each candidate’s alliances, and the balance that their presence on the council would bring. This is why we are endorsing Roger Chapin, once again, as the better choice for Orlando’s future — with the significant observation that Mira Tanna, the other remaining candidate, is an appealing option for those who seek dramatic change in the City Beautiful.
Democratic battle lines are drawn in Orlando’s District 3 city council runoff
That change is definitely coming, to some degree. In fact, the course of this election has been largely guided by two names that aren’t on any ballot: Buddy Dyer, who will be stepping down in 2027 after nearly a quarter-century as mayor, and state Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, currently the only candidate to replace him.
Two years out, Eskamani’s election seems like an inevitability: Her popularity is so high that her campaign signs (which often don’t even include her name, just “Madam Mayor”) are already adorning yards around the city. We suspect her influence helped sway voters in the city’s District 1 election, where voters decisively elected the Eskamani-backed candidate, former State Rep. Tom Keen, over incumbent Jim Gray. This doesn’t diminish Keen’s own qualifications and character; in fact, voters can expect him to be an exemplary commissioner. But Eskamani’s backing, along with other leaders who are a who’s-who of local progressive leadership, gave him such a resounding margin of victory that the four-candidate race was settled without the need for a runoff. Eskamani also endorsed Shan Rose, the District 5 incumbent who emerged from the Nov. 4 election with a winning majority. Tanna is her pick in District 3.
Dyer, on the other hand, is backing Chapin. And his reasoning is sound. Over the years, Orlando has been managed, consistently and well, because of the partners invested in its success. That includes a broad coalition of area business interests, social-services and faith leaders, transportation leaders and advocates for professional sports and the arts — working together in a spirit of harmony to build a city that doesn’t sacrifice compassion and inclusion in the quest for economic success.
If Eskamani sweeps the council, some critical elements of that coalition could become alienated and fearful of a barrel roll to the far left. To be fair, we think Eskamani is too smart to attempt that, and adept at working all sides of a debate with intelligence and grace. But a council that includes one or two members with strong ties to the business community and residents across the political spectrum could ensure that a full range of ideas are heard.
We’re not saying that the economic elite should run the city. But we are arguing that
people who have worked, invested and brought jobs to this community need the chance to be heard.
And Chapin can certainly be that ear. His roots in this community sink deep, starting with the fact that he’s the son of Orange County’s first mayor, Linda Chapin. Though this is his first run at elected office since 2002, he’s spent that time building the resume of a true civic leader. He’s served on high-profile advisory bodies including the Municipal Planning Board, the Downtown Development Board and the Orlando Utilities Commission, as well as an oversight committee for the construction of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and a list of volunteer activities long enough to reach the bottom of this page.
His broad coalition of support also includes endorsement by the unions representing city employees as well as the Orlando Regional Realtor Association and the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association. To people eager to see the city transform under Eskamani’s leadership, that might make him seem old-guard, particularly when compared to Tanna’s endorsements by local progressive superstars including U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, state Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis and every local member of the Florida House.
Some of those leaders have also worked with Tanna, who currently oversees grants for the city. But she is more aligned with other critical communities in Orlando, working as an advocate for civil rights and economically disadvantaged communities.
Tanna and Chapin share many priorities. Both voice a sense of urgency toward solving the city’s transportation problems, including an inadequate public-transportation network and roads that are returning to their pre-COVID clogged state. Both have a vision that takes in all parts of the city, including troubled districts where poverty and crime run rampant, as well as the city’s historic and emerging neighborhoods that emphasize walkability. And both have devoted a lot of time to a problem that reaches every neighborhood: the unaffordability crisis created by high-priced housing and a largely low-wage workforce.
To solve these challenges, and others, Orlando will need a coalition that includes the broadest possible array of business leaders, community advocates and everyday citizens. That’s where Chapin could really shine — and why we believe he’s the better choice, by a hair, in this runoff.
In the Orlando City Council runoff, the Sentinel endorses Roger Chapin in District 3.
We urge voters to not rely solely on our opinions in deciding how to cast a vote. Voters should check the candidates’ campaign websites and social media accounts (if they don’t have either, that should be a red flag). Ask friends and neighbors what they think. Google the candidates and check out their campaign finances.
Election endorsements are the opinion of the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, which consists of Executive Editor Roger Simmons, Opinion Editor Krys Fluker and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Send emails to insight@orlandosentinel.com.
