Primary winners, losers and takeaways

Tuesday’s primary election was a turning point in Broward’s history as the elected leadership of the county finally bears a resemblance to the people they represent. In an increasingly diverse county that has undergone swift and dramatic demographic changes, and where power has been controlled for too long by middle-aged white men, Black voters demanded Black representation and finally turned out in the numbers needed to ensure it.

The most diverse assemblage of elected county leaders in the state has been an awfully long time in coming. But now it’s here. Brenda Forman will be court clerk for four more years. Candidates of color also are in commanding positions to take over the offices of sheriff, state attorney, public defender and supervisor of elections, if they defeat their Republican or write-in opponents in November.

The results put to rest the myth that in today’s Broward, a Black candidate can’t win county-wide — the tired argument raised by those who oppose creating the position of an elected county mayor. Yet never has the need for a mayor been more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic, with public information so hard to come by. Every week, for example, the county holds a secret phone call with 31 mayors to share information the public would like to know. A mayor who’s answerable to the people would be sharing information about the COVID fallout and what’s being done to prevent it. The people have an absolute right to hear those life-anddeath discussions.

What else happened Tuesday? It appears to have been the last hurrah for Broward’s Democratic old guard. Voters rejected three respected retired judges — and the county’s longest-serving Democratic Party chairman — who had sought new challenges. A well-known group of mostly east-side, old-school stalwarts also saw their influence wane, except for their support of Circuit Judge Patti Englander Henning, who deserved re-election.

We saw that money still matters — it always does — but it does not ensure victory. Without his $1.6 million, it’s doubtful Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony could have reached voters with his message of holding police accountable. But the George Floyd protests and our public reckoning over systemic racism turned the tide as much as anything else.

However, others who were outspent did very well, including Joe Scott in his race for elections supervisor, which is headed to a recount with second-place finisher Chad Klitzman. And in the state attorney’s race, a PAC supported by billionaire George Soros spent more than $750,000 in the final days to support progressive Joe Kimok’s oh-soclose bid. In Central Florida, a Sorosbacked committee spent twice as much to help Monique Worrell become the next top prosecutor in Orange and Osceola counties. Other winners and losers: Winners: Progressive and pragmatic Democrats who want criminal justice reform. Broward is likely to witness a seachange on the death penalty, the discriminatory cash bail system, the prosecution of minor drug offenses, children charged as adults and defendants who get the book thrown at them as a way to extract plea deals.

Winners: The voter turnout was 26 percent, a record for a Broward primary.

Losers: The majority of people who didn’t vote. When a 26% turnout is considered good news, that is relativity at its worst.

Winner: Broward Elections Supervisor Pete Antonacci ran a relatively smooth election, a big change from his predecessors. But a 26% turnout is far different than a possible 75% turnout in November. Antonacci said Wednesday that he knows he has his work cut out for him.

So-so: Don’t celebrate too much, Broward. Far too many of you failed to return your mail-in ballots. For every ballot that was returned, one wasn’t. Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and the state as a whole performed better than Broward.

Losers: Voters who didn’t have an opportunity to be heard in important local races because of Florida’s antiquated closed primary system. November’s ballot will ask voters if they want to change Florida’s Constitution to create a top-two primary, where all candidates running for a state office would be on the same ballot, regardless of party, and all voters can vote. The top two vote-getters would then advance to the general election. But the amendment only affects state races for governor, Legislature and Cabinet.

Winners: Broward Mayor Dale Holness and Black palm cards. Their power combined to help several underdogs win.

Winner: State Rep. Shevrin Jones, who finished strong in a field of five for the Florida Senate seat held by term-limited Oscar Braynon. During the campaign, Jones faced homophobic slurs and was hospitalized with the coronavirus. And later, when he tried to donate convalescent plasma, he was told he couldn’t because he was gay. It’s a good thing that the Florida Senate is getting its first openly gay man because no one knows as well as Jones what it’s like to face discrimination, having dealt with it at least twice in the last couple of weeks.

Loser: The unions in the Broward Sheriff ’s Office. Every BSO union came out against Sheriff Tony and they all lost. Voters clearly did not care about the union endorsements or their votes of no confidence.

Winner: The Broward Teachers’ Union, which unseated moderate School Board member Heather Brinkworth and sent a loud message to other school board members about ponying up for pay raises.

So-so: The Sun Sentinel editorial board. We saw evidence that people paid close attention to our endorsements, especially in the judicial contests and hotly contested county-wide races. We researched the candidates and did our best, but sometimes the community disagrees. The voters have the last word and that’s how it should be.