{"id":166158,"date":"2026-02-23T21:58:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/166158\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T21:58:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:58:18","slug":"paralegal-tres-rodmon-wants-to-be-tampas-first-openly-trans-mayor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/166158\/","title":{"rendered":"Paralegal Tres Rodmon wants to be Tampa’s first openly-trans mayor"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TampaTres L. Rodmon Credit: TresLRodmon4TampaMayor \/ Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Tampa\u2019s 2027 mayoral election is getting crowded, and a paralegal who works at the same firm as presumptive mayoral front-runner Bob Buckhorn<\/a> wants to make history in the race.<\/p>\n

Tres L. Rodmon\u2014paralegal at Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick LLP where former mayor Buckhorn is a consultant and executive vice president\u2014told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that long-standing issues within the city, including public transportation and housing affordability, are obviously high-priority for him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the 47-year-old is also interested in the city\u2019s enrichment through different projects. Having lived in Ybor City for seven years, he said he wants to \u201crestore vibrance and energy\u201d to the historic neighborhood.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has culture; it has history,\u201d Rodmon said. \u201cSo, I definitely would like to just build it up, you know\u2014add a shazam to it\u2014but at the same time, still keep the culture we have with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodmon\u2014who joins six other candidates in the race so far\u2014said he also wants to take steps as mayor to\u00a0 empower marginalized communities across the rest of the city.<\/p>\n

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For Rodmon, that means he\u2019s a \u201cno-ICE\u201d person and \u201cwouldn\u2019t have any fear-based policies\u201d in his law enforcement relations. And with law enforcement, the Broward College graduate\u2019s background in criminal justice and extensive legal work has also taught him the gray area of the criminal system, Rodmon told CL.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI got to see both sides of life with things like that,\u201d Rodmon said. \u201cAnd I got to see like a lot of people that went through the system. There were a lot of good people that just made a mistake or, you know, were with the wrong people or someone at the wrong time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodmon believes empathy is essential to good leadership. As a mixed and transgender man, he said his experiences have led him to pursue new initiatives in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In fact, Rodmon is a board member for Gaybor District Coalition, and he also created and starred in a show called \u201cWhat\u2019s the T Love\u201d at Disco Pony nightclub. The show \u201ccelebrates love and freedom of the trans community, specifically trans men,\u201d Rodmon told CL.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe love and great feedback I have received from my trans community and allies is what gave me the inspiration to go further,\u201d Rodmon said. \u201cI want to be an example for other trans men that anything is possible if we set our minds to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Rodmon has taken his work a step further\u2014specifically, he has stepped into the race to lead Florida\u2019s third most-populated city. And he said he is willing to do it, even with the political tensions that exist across the nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing trans is beautiful and shouldn\u2019t hold us back even in this political climate,\u201d Rodmon said. \u201cI want younger trans men to see someone like them doing things like this. I just want people to believe in themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodmon said that if he were to win, he\u2019d also focus extensively on reallocating money to Tampa\u2019s underserved residents to ensure they can live comfortably.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI know the money is there. We have to prioritize what\u2019s important,\u201d Rodmon said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So far, Rodmon doesn\u2019t have an official campaign finance source or PAC yet. But he said that Luis Salazar, candidate for the 64th District of the Florida House of Representatives and president of the Hillsborough County Democratic Party\u2019s LGBTQ+ Caucus, has supported his campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rodmon will host his campaign kick-off with a \u201cMeet the Candidate\u201d on Thursday, Feb. 26 from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. at Cafe at 1920, located at 1920 E 7th Ave.<\/p>\n

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This article appears in Feb. 19 \u2013 25, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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