ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County voters will decide between County Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell and businessman Chris Messina in a November runoff for Orange County mayor, after no candidate won a majority to replace term-limited Mayor Jerry Demings.
Unofficial results show Moore Russell leading the field with about 32 percent of the vote. Messina followed with about 28 percent.
Moore Russell credited her years in county government and a strong ground game for the first-place finish, saying she wants an Orange County where no one gets left behind.
“I have the most experience in this race,” Moore Russell said. “I have served as a county commissioner so I know this community. As the clerk, I understand the importance of how to serve residents as with dealing with tough budget times. So I think voters in Orange County can trust Tiffany Moore Russell because they know me to serve this community.”
Though it is a nonpartisan race, Messina emphasized his conservative credentials, telling supporters at Grills Lakeside that the campaign defied the odds.
“They said a conservative couldn’t make it this far,” he said.
Messina said his vision is focused on a 21st-century economy, one where Orange County is a national leader space technology, more high-paying jobs are available and blighted strip malls are revitalized.
“The experience is what’s got us into the situation where we’re at the very bottom in terms of net income of the top 50 metro areas,” he said. “We’re really right at the bottom so that political experience hasn’t solved those problems.”
The race for third was close.
Former U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy finished with about 26 percent.
Campaign officials tell News 6 Murphy called both opponents Tuesday night to concede and thank them for running a positive campaign.