Cohen, Jenkins head for runoff in District 4 race

Harry Cohen maintained a strong lead in the crowded Tampa City Council District 4 race, but fell short of the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff with Julie Jenkins.

Cohen received just over 44 percent of the total cast in the 27 precincts of the district that includes most of South Tampa.

Jenkins finished with nearly 30 percent of the vote in the five-way race.

The seat is currently held by interim Councilwoman Yvonne Capin, selected to serve the balance of the term of John Dingfelder, who resigned in June to run for the Hillsborough County Commission. Capin is running for the citywide District 3 council seat.

Cohen, 40, was chief deputy clerk of the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County until Jan. 31. Before that he worked for Tampa attorney Barry Cohen.

Jenkins, 48, a travel consultant and environmental activist, made her first bid for public office in 2007 when she ran for the citywide District 1 council seat. Gwen Miller won that race in a run-off against Joe Redner.

As he awaited the numbers from the final District 1 precinct Tuesday night, Cohen said he will immediately resume his personalized campaigning.

"I think we'll continue to do what we have been doing, we go out in the neighborhoods and talk to people. We are going to continue spreading our message of fiscal restraint and responsibility and looking at new and innovative and more efficient ways of doing business for the city of Tampa going forward," Cohen said.

Jenkins said, "We're excited. There's a gap, but there's not much of a gap," she said of her Tuesday's night finish. "We have a lot of broad-based support throughout the district," much of it from individuals who have not previously been involved with local politics, she said.

With only three weeks until the March 22 runoff election, Jenkins said she and supporters will meet Wednesday night "to discuss where we go from here. We're going to continue to do what we've done, meet the people," she said. "It's all about people," and her diverse group of supporters includes people form every political party, Jenkins said.

Other candidates in the race were: Joseph V. Citrro, 52, Tony DeSisto, 26, and Dennis Meyers, 42.

(813) 259-7124.