Gov. DeSantis will pick Broward’s next two county commissioners

2 state representatives have applied for recent openings

Two state representatives are among the five people who’ve asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to pick them to fill two soon-tobe-vacant seats on the Broward County Commission.

Broward County Commissioners Dale Holness and Barbara Sharief submitted written resignations to run for Congress earlier this year, but neither won the November primary. Still, their resignations are irrevocable, and now their seats — which pay $105,885 a year — will become empty in January.

The two state representatives who applied are:

State Rep. Anika Omphroy: A two-term Broward Democrat who DeSantis ordered under investigation in May on suspicion of violating Florida election law.

State Rep. Patricia Williams: The state representative is a Democrat representing parts of eight cities in north-central Broward from Fort Lauderdale to Deerfield Beach and is also vice chairperson as the Broward Legislative Delegation. Williams also served as a Lauderdale Lakes city commissioner for eight years. “I stand ready and willing to work across political lines to continue serving the people of Broward County,” she said Wednesday.

The other applicants are:

Jose A. Cuevas: In response to a records request, DeSantis’ office only provided this applicant’s name, without releasing additional details. Cuevas could not be reached for comment.

Terry Edden: She has run previously to serve in the state Legislature and county commission. The issues most important to her are climate change, job growth and business development, and veteran services, among others, she said. “I can deal with all walks of life,” she said of working across party lines. “It’s doing what’s right for the people.”

Kevin Tynan: A former chairman of the Broward Republican Party. In 2009, he was appointed by Republican Gov. Charlie Crist to replace suspended School Board member Beverly Gallagher. “My desire to serve, it’s still there,” said Tynan, who lives in Pembroke Pines, which is in Sharief ’s district.

The governor’s office has not yet released the candidates’ applications and only released the names this week after an attorney for the South Florida Sun Sentinel intervened.

DeSantis could pick two of the people

who asked for the jobs, or he could pick none of them and look elsewhere. If DeSantis were to appoint a current state representative, it would leave an empty seat because that person would need to leave their state-level job. Florida law doesn’t allow someone to hold two public office jobs at the same time.

Whoever replaces Sharief would finish out the term that ends in November 2022. Whoever replaces Holness would serve through the next general election in 2022. County officials say the hand-picked appointee may be asked to finish the term that would have ended in November 2024 if DeSantis were to push for that.