2014 Orange County, Florida mayoral election
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The 2014 Orange County, Florida mayoral election was held on August 26, 2014, to select the Mayor of Orange County, Florida. Incumbent Mayor Teresa Jacobs ran for re-election to a second term. Though she was originally set to face former Orlando Police Department Police Chief Val Demings, Demings dropped out of the race, and Jacobs was elected unopposed.
General election
Candidates
- Teresa Jacobs, incumbent County Mayor[1]
Dropped out
- Val Demings, former Chief of the Orlando Police Department, 2012 Democratic nominee for Congress
- Jeffrey Clyde Tepper (write-in)[2]
Disqualified
- Dunel A. Cadely, private driver, nonprofit executive[3]
Campaign
Jacobs was elected in 2010 in a landslide, but anticipated a difficult campaign for re-election against Demings.[4] In Jacobs' first term, she weathered controversy over "textgate," a scandal in which Jacobs and members of the County Commission deleted text message exchanges with lobbyists while considering a proposed sick leave proposal. State Attorney Jeff Ashton requested that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigate whether members of the County Commission violated the state's public records laws.[5] On August 28, 2013, Ashton announced that Jacobs and four county commissioners illegally deleted text messages,[6] which resulted the imposition of $500 fines against Jacobs and the county commissioners,[7] and a $90,000 settlement to a voter group advocating for sick leave.[8]
Despite the scandal, as Jacobs began her re-election campaign, she remained popular with county voters.[9]
After months of speculation as to whether Demigns would run, she announced her candidacy on January 9, 2014. Demings argued that her experience as Chief of Police, in which she "manage[d] over 1,000 law-enforcement employees and cut crime and corruption," would help her "make Orange County . . . the place every single one of us envisions and can be proud of."[10] Demings was endorsed by EMILY's List and prominent local Democrats,[11] but entered the race after Jacobs had raised several hundred thousand dollars and struggled to raise money.[12]
Though the race was formally nonpartisan, both candidates faced opposition from within their own parties. Former Orange County Chairman Linda Chapin, a Democrat, endorsed Jacobs for re-election and hosted a fundraiser for her,[13] while former Republican State Representative Chris Dorworth sought to recruit a Republican opponent to Jacobs.[14]
Demings unexpectedly announced on May 20, that she was exiting the race, leaving Jacobs as the favorite for re-election.[15] After Demings' exit, Dunel A. Cadely, a vehicle for hire driver and nonprofit executive, and write-in candidate Jeffrey Clyde Tepper filed to run against Jacobs. But Cadely was disqualified when the check he used to pay his filing fee bounced, leaving Tepper as Jacobs's only challenger.[16] In July, Tepper dropped out of the race, leaving Jacobs unopposed and removing the race from the ballot.[2]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Teresa Jacobs |
Val Demings |
Other / Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGS[17] | February/March 2014 | 400 (LV) | ± 4.9% | 48% | 33% | 19% |
Results
Jacobs was re-elected unopposed, and the race did not appear on the ballot.[2]
Notes
- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
CV – certain voters
V – unclear
References
- ^ Damron, David (April 24, 2013). "Teresa Jacobs files papers to run again". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B2. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs now running unopposed". WESH. July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (June 27, 2014). "Jacobs' re-election foe off the ballot after check for qualifying fee bounces". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B1. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (March 18, 2013). "Will Demings battle Jacobs for Orange mayor?". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A1. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (January 30, 2013). "Ashton: FDLE to probe 'textgate'". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A1. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Ashton: Orange Co. leaders broke law in 'textgate' scandal". WFTV. August 28, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (August 29, 2013). "Orange leaders face $500 fines in 'textgate' scandal". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A1. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Orange County to pay group $90K over 'textgate' scandal". WFTV. January 13, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (June 4, 2013). "Voter poll shows strong favorable view of Jacobs -- and Val Demings". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B3. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (January 10, 2014). "Val Demings formally kicks off campaign for Orange mayor". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B2. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (February 20, 2014). "Demings gets backing from Dems, Emily's List in Orange mayor's race". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B3. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (January 27, 2014). "Demings trailing early in mayoral money race". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A1. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (April 2, 2014). "Democrat Linda Chapin organizes fundraiser for Teresa Jacobs". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B3. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (February 1, 2014). "Dorworth hunts for Jacobs challenger". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B2. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (May 21, 2014). "Demings' exit likely to ease Jacobs' re-election". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. A1. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Candidate for Orange County mayor disqualified over bounced check". WESH. June 26, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Damron, David (March 7, 2014). "Realtor poll has good news for Demings, better news for Jacobs". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. B3. Retrieved July 30, 2025.