ABOVE: Key West Mayor Teri Johnston, photo via Johnston’s Facebook page.
KEY WEST, Fla. | Teri Johnston, the first lesbian mayor of Key West, won her bid at a second term as the island’s mayor Aug. 18 capturing 59% of the vote.
“People said we couldn’t do it. They said that the silent majority stood against us,” Johnston said in a video released after she won. “But here we are. And that majority came together behind one simple premise that progress moves us forward, not back.”
Johnston faced off against two opponents in the non-partisan race, and needed to win more than 50% of the vote in order to avoid a run-off election.
In the video Johnston pointed to her 2018 speech as a guiding principle.
“The key phrase that stuck out to me there is that Key West will not tolerate hatred; will not tolerate divisiveness; will not tolerate discrimination,” she said. “All that we want is a brighter better future for everyone in Key West, and we’re working towards that.”
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Her challengers included former city commissioner Mark Rossi, who received 21% of the vote, and Rick Haskins who took 19%.
“I promise that the problems that we face today are going to end. Science tells us that,” she said. “But between now and then I’m going to keep moving Key West forward.”
