State representative's wife files to run for Lauderdale seat

With Fort Lauderdale elections less than a year away, Heather Moraitis, wife of a state representative, announced this week she’ll run for a seat on the City Commission.

Moraitis is a Fort Lauderdale native, wife of state Rep. George Moraitis, and a businesswoman in the nonprofit world. But perhaps most important in the northeast district where she’s running, she’s a registered Republican.

“With over $1 billion in public infrastructure needs, congestion issues that will require smart solutions, and division over development, we can either work together to make things better, or kick the can down the road,” she said in her written announcement this week. “I am running to make things better.”

She said the city’s economy must be strong “to fund community expectations, neighborhood needs, and the challenge of sea level rise.“

Already running in District 1 is Caleb Gunter, a Broward County employee who manages Vista View Park. He’s also a registered Republican.

The district is overwhelmingly (81 percent) white, and is the only of the four city political districts that leans Republican in party registration. Of the 31,081 active voters, about 38 percent are registered Republican, 34 percent Democrat, and 27 percent no party affiliation or “other,” according to June figures from the Broward elections office. Citywide, about 25 percent of the active voters in Fort Lauderdale are registered as Republicans.

Fort Lauderdale elections are nonpartisan, and party labels cannot be used in campaign materials. Still, voters in District 1 have selected Republicans in many of the past elections. The current commissioner, Bruce Roberts, was a Republican when elected, as was his predecessor, Christine Teel, but he switched parties recently to “NPA,” or no party affiliation. He’s now running for mayor. Moraitis said she’ll remain a Republican when she runs.

She’s director of capital development for the YMCA and the mother of two teen daughters. The family lives in the Coral Ridge Isles neighborhood.

Fort Lauderdale holds its elections in the spring. A primary is held in Feb. 13, in any race with more than two candidates. Any candidate garnering more than half the votes wins the election. If no candidate tops 50 percent of the votes, the top two vote-getters face off on March 13.Here’s the latest lineup in the other races:

Running for mayor are Roberts, former City Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, and Jim S. Lewis, an attorney and perennial candidate.

No one has opened a campaign account to run in District 2, which covers part of downtown and the central beach. Incumbent Commissioner Dean Trantalis, an attorney, is eligible to run for another term, but he couldn’t be reached to comment on whether he plans to run for re-election. The city term limit is three three-year terms.

In District 3, currently presented by Robert McKinzie, only one candidate, Marie Glendel Huntley, CEO of On Call Leadership, a youth mentoring nonprofit, has opened an account. No candidate can collect contributions to run for a seat until an account has been opened. McKinzie, president of a construction company, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on whether he plans to run for reelection. He has not opened a campaign account, according to the city website.

In District 4, Romney Rogers will be term-limited out. Running for his seat are Walter B. Duke III, formerly mayor of Dania Beach and owner of a commercial real estate appraisal company, and Benjamin Sorensen, a leadership trainer, lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve and Presbyterian youth and young adult pastor.