Samuel Kaufman elected as first Jewish mayor of Key West

Samuel Kaufman has been elected as the first Jewish mayor in the nearly 200-year history of Key West, Florida. A lawyer and current city commissioner, Kaufman secured approximately 58% of the vote, defeating incumbent Republican Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez, who received 42%.

Kaufman attributed part of his success to crossover votes following a corruption scandal in the previous administration, which saw the city attorney, building official, and code enforcement director charged with felonies for evidence tampering.

During his campaign, Kaufman addressed local concerns regarding tourism and infrastructure. He expressed a preference for limiting cruise ship arrivals to one per day, noting that the city lacks the infrastructure to accommodate higher volumes.