Key West mayoral election results

Sam Kaufman has been elected as the new mayor of Key West, Florida, defeating the incumbent, Dee Dee Henriquez. Kaufman secured approximately 58% of the vote, while Henriquez received 42%.

Kaufman, a lawyer and current city commissioner, becomes the first Jewish mayor in the nearly 200-year history of the city. He attributed his success in part to crossover votes following a corruption scandal in the previous administration that involved felony charges for a city attorney, building official, and code enforcement director regarding evidence tampering.

The election cycle was characterized by political division and significant spending from a political action committee supporting Henriquez. Beyond the mayoral race, Democrats won three of the four city races, while Mark Rossi was the sole Republican victor in the District II seat. Other district races included a runoff in District IV and a victory for Chris Massicotte in District V. During his campaign, Kaufman addressed infrastructure and tourism concerns, specifically suggesting a limit of one cruise ship arrival per day.