FORT LAUDERDALE — After last Tuesday’s primary elections, Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Carlton Moore has finally conceded defeat.
Moore lost his second bid for the Broward County Commission to incumbent John Rodstrom, who narrowly beat him by 149 votes.
According to election rules, Moore had to resign his city commission seat that was set to expire in March 2009 so he could run for the Broward County Commission District 7 seat held by Rodstrom.
With Moore’s resignation effective Nov. 4, the city of Fort Lauderdale is now accepting applications for an interim commissioner to finish Moore’s term until the municipal election next March.
So far, the city has received two applications for the interim position. Both applicants, Jennings Coleman and Magdalene J. Lewis, are former Broward educators.
With his dream of becoming Broward County’s newest commissioner up in smoke, Moore, who has served in the Fort Lauderdale City Commission District 3 seat for 18 years, now finds himself outside the political arena.
Moore told a South Florida Times reporter, “I don’t have a moment at this time” before abruptly hanging up the phone for the second time.
But Dianne Russo, president of the Lauderdale West Homeowners Association, said she was shocked to hear the news of Moore’s ouster from politics. Russo, along with many other constituents in the district, wonders what he will do next.
“He’s been around so long. That must have been a tough blow,” Russo said.
Lewis said she supported Moore throughout his tenure as city commissioner and refused any further comment.
“I am very, very disappointed. I hope that he will continue some kind of political aspiration and remain active in the political arena,” said Margaret Birch, president of the Lake Aire Homeowners Association.
Moore may be eligible to run again for his city seat next year, but says he won’t seek re-election like he did the last time he lost a race for the county commission.
After his first resignation from the city commission in 2000 to run against District 9 County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion,
Moore argued that he had not served a full term, and returned to his city seat via a special election. Eggelletion won re-election to his seat this year.
Four people are currently vying for the three-year city commission term in Moore’s District 9 in the March 2009 election. They are Bobby DuBose, Nadine Hankerson, Cameron L. Mizell and Jimmy B. Witherspoon.
John Rodstrom has been the District 7 county commissioner since 1992. He’s married to Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom.
Tayltra9@Aol.com
Photo by Elgin Jones. Carlton Moore
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