Former Delray Beach Vice Mayor Rob Long easily defeated Republican Maria Zack in the Dec. 9 special election for state House District 90.
District 90 includes Ocean Ridge, Gulf Stream, Briny Breezes and parts of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.
Long, the Democrat, took 63.2% of the vote to Zack’s 35.9%. Karen Yeh, with no party affiliation, garnered less than 1%. There was 14.7% turnout.
The seat was vacant because of the death of Rep. Joe Casello, D-Boynton Beach, in July.
Long said he believed he earned the vote of independent voters who are alarmed by the direction of the country under President Donald Trump.
“They’re tired of not being able to afford anything. They’re tired of seeing what’s happening to folks from the immigrant community,” Long said.
“There’s a lot of outrage right now, and a lot of people struggling right now, and they are ready to see some change and some action.”
Long credited his volunteer team for getting people to the polls for a December special election.
“It was just an amazing community effort, and I’m super grateful,” he said.
Delray Beach commissioners at their Dec. 8 meeting couldn’t agree on someone to replace Long until the March 10 elections are over.
Yvonne Odom, grandmother to tennis star Coco Gauff, and Price Patton, a member of the city’s Planning & Zoning Board and part owner of The Coastal Star, each lost out on 2-2 votes.
— John Pacenti
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