Update, June 17: As the qualifying period for candidates wrapped up Friday, June 17, DeLand City Commission candidate Jeff Hunter bowed out of the race. In leaving the race for City Commission Seat 4, Hunter’s campaign provided a donation to his former opponent, pastor Troy Bradley Sr.
Two new hopefuls have joined DeLand’s City Commission races, one who’s already served on the City Commission before, and one newcomer.
Joining the City Commission Seat 4 race is Jeff Hunter, a former DeLand city commissioner whose tenure was cut short because of a 2018 drug-related arrest.
Initially charged with selling drugs, his charges were reduced to possession of a Schedule II substance.
Hunter was cleared of the charges in 2020 after performing community service hours and paying his court fees. Hunter will run against Pastor Troy Bradley Sr. and businessman Dan Reed for the City Commission seat currently occupied by Chris Cloudman, who will vacate his seat to run for mayor.
Hunter, who joined the race June 6, has not yet raised any campaign funds.
A newcomer has joined the competition, too. Carlos Navarro, a radio host and actor, filed to run for City Commission Seat 5 against incumbent Kevin Reid June 9.
Navarro, a Floridian who moved to DeLand last year, is the host of “Monsters in the Morning” on Orlando’s Real Radio 104.1 and an actor who has appeared in such TV shows as The Walking Dead and Hawkeye.
As of June 14, Reid had contributed $1,000 to his own campaign and neither candidate had received any donations.
With Hunter and Navarro announcing City Commission bids, each DeLand government race now has at least two candidates.
Carlos Navarro ought to reveal his real name. He’s only been in Deland 6 months. Originally came from Cuba, so he’s a naturalized citizen. He also a Trump/Desantis supporter and getting campaign funding from Clear Channel Communications.
Sherri is an idiot, she got everything in that quote wrong.