CLEARWATER, Fla. — Local attorney Bruce Rector is the new mayor of Clearwater after besting councilmember Kathleen Beckman by over 5,000 votes Tuesday.
Rector won 63% of the 22,578 votes that were tallied in total.
He will replace interim Mayor Brian Aungst, Sr., who was appointed late last year after former Mayor Frank Hibbard abruptly resigned during a city council meeting.
Rector seemed delighted after winning the race.
"I'm so excited, not just for myself but for the City of Clearwater," said Rector. "I met so many great people during the campaign, and I'm eager to start working with them."
He is optimistic about working with Clearwater City Council, specifically.
"I think we will be able to work together as a team," said Rector. "We are still going to have disagreements on certain issues, but we are not going to hold any of that personally. If we agree to disagree and move on to the next issue, I feel confident we will work together as a team to move Clearwater forward."
Beckman released a statement after the mayoral race was called.
I cannot thank enough the many people that supported me during my candidacy and while serving as Councilmember. I am humbled by their faith in me and their generosity. We’ve run a grassroots campaign with over 300 Clearwater residents volunteering to educate and engage voters.
It has been a true privilege to serve the residents of Clearwater the last 4 years. I am proud of so many lasting priorities that have been accomplished over that time. Those accomplishments include:I am most proud of my continuous high level of resident and neighborhood engagement, which has been essential for creating meaningful and long-lasting solutions. And even though I was not elected Mayor, I am committed to serving in our community and helping others. The work continues. I wish the new Council all the best.
- Lowering taxes and energy costs by millions of dollars
- Implementing Greenprint 2.0 to increase our sustainability on many fronts and to reducepollution
- A new strategic plan to guide prioritization of actions and spending into the future
- A new CRA for North Greenwood that is off to a great start
- A new compensation plan to reward our city employees and attract talent
- A high level of transparency in spending of taxpayer dollars
Thank you again for your unwavering support.
