(Photos courtesy Martin Fugate)
ORLANDO | Florida drag entertainer and small business owner, Martin “Leigh Shannon” Fugate confirmed May 14 that he plans to meet with exploratory staff to consider a potential run for Orlando’s District 3 commissioner seat after longtime Commissioner Robert Stuart announced that he will not seek another term.
“I want to take a moment to sincerely thank Commissioner Stuart for his years of service and dedication to the people of Orlando,” said Fugate in a press release. “With his decision not to run again, I’ve felt a renewed calling to return to civic engagement and explore the possibility of running for District 3 City Commissioner.”
Stuart has represented District 3 since 2006 and has been in the position for five terms now. Stuart, in an interview with Florida Politics, said “I’d love to serve forever, but you got a lot of people that want to run — I kind of want to let them.”
Fugate, who owns Ritzy Rags, Wigs & More in College Park, made a run for the seat in the 2022 election, saying in an interview with Watermark Out News in July 2021, “[Stuart has] been in there a lot of terms and I think it’s time for him to go.” Fugate withdrew from the race two months later, siting “unforeseen circumstances.” He later confirmed to Watermark that it was due to a major health scare.
During his campaign, Fugate spoke on issues such as smart growth, public input, pedestrian safety and neighborhood preservation, according to the release. Fugate states that he and his team will be “actively evaluating” whether he will run again with plans to meet with residence of the district.
“I love this city, and I’ve always believed public service starts with listening,” said Fugate in the release. “Over the next two weeks, my team and I will be meeting with community members, neighbors, and local leaders as we explore this opportunity. We’ll keep you posted.”
Several individuals have already filed to run for the District 3 seat, including Aaron Lewis, Samuel Chambers and Mira Tanna.
Stuart’s announcement comes after longtime Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced in January that he will not seek re-election. Dyer, who is Orlando’s longest serving mayor, is currently serving in his seventh term.
