Photo: CBS 12
For the first time since anyone in local government can remember, there are three Republicans on the Palm Beach County Commission.
One of the two new members, Marci Woodward, pulled off a surprising defeat over Democrat Mayor Robert Weinroth in District 4. She was sworn in on Tuesday.
"I'd like to thank all of my supporters who came up here today...everyone who worked on my campaign. Proof that a citizen does have a place in local government."
Weinroth served one term and was expected by most pundits to win re-election to another four years. He previously served on the Boca Raton City Council.
"This has been really the job of a lifetime. This is really the icing on the cake of public service."r.
Fellow Republican Sara Baxter has now taken over the seat in District 6, after Democrat Commissioner Melissa McKinlay was termed out.
"This is the honor...honor of a lifetime, to be able to serve and help people and to accomplish things in Palm Beach County."
McKinlay gave her support to Baxter's Democrat opponent Michelle Oyola McGovern, who spent years working on Bill Nelson's staff when he was a U.S. Senator from Florida.
Baxter, a business owner, ran on a platform of allowing businesses to stay open. Her company was shut down during the pandemic by rules voted on by the Commission.
The third Republican, Maria Marino, is in the middle of her first term. The other four Commissioners are Democrats, including Gregg Weiss. He won his re-election bid and has been named Mayor.