Jane Castor, Mayor of Tampa and an out LGBT woman, easily won reelection March 7 with 80% of the vote.

But there’s one caveat.

She didn’t have an opponent except for a blank line where voters could fill in whomever they wanted.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, some of those write-ins went to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady; Tampa’s strip club king Joe Redner; Mickey Mouse; Santa Claus; and Spongebob Squarepants.

“It is clear the Tampa community is all-in for Jane – across all party lines. She has ushered in a new level of prosperity and equity for the city by delivering real results and passing smart policies for the community she loves,” said Annise Parker, President of Victory Fund, in a press release. “While today’s result is a victory for all Tampa residents, it is also a meaningful victory for Florida’s LGBTQ+ community. With anti-LGBTQ hate spreading like wildfire in Florida, Jane has consistently fought back. We are confident Jane will continue making Tampa a bastion for LGBTQ+ rights and equality in the state.”

Castor is a Democrat and former Tampa police chief.


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