Former Tallahassee mayor Dot Inman-Johnson is making another attempt to return to the city commission.
On May 6, Inman-Johnson filed to run for City Commission Seat 5 — the one Dianne Williams-Cox currently holds.
“I’m not willing to let Dianne Williams-Cox be re-elected without a meaningful challenge,” Inman-Johnson said in a prepared statement.” City Hall is in disarray; it’s clear we are going to need stability and ethical leadership in Seat 5 to guide our City through this interim period. I’m willing to serve one term and make sure the transition is successful.”
And once again, she is facing off against a multi-term incumbent.
Last election cycle, Inman-Johnson went head-to-head with Commissioner Curtis Richardson. He narrowly won reelection in the 2024 general election, capturing 50.71% of the vote and ultimately stopping a progressive takeover at City Hall, while Inman-Johnson took 49.29%.
In 1984, Inman-Johnson was appointed to fill a vacancy on the commission, making her the first Black woman on the panel. She later was elected to fill the seat and served as the first Black female mayor, which then rotated among the commissioners.
Williams-Cox, first elected in 2018, is now the third Black woman to serve on the commission, including former Commissioner Elaine Bryant, who was appointed to replace Scott Maddox.
Williams-Cox told the Democrat she had no comment about Inman-Johnson getting into the race.
The race will have a personal edge, as it pits two local political heavyweights who have been allies.
During the 2020 naming ceremony of Dot Inman-Johnson Park at Kleman Plaza, Williams-Cox praised Inman-Johnson — who she called her “big sister” and “mentor” — for her accomplishments in the community and thanked her for paving the way for herself and others.
“It’s emotional because I know that she is not done yet,” Williams-Cox said. “She’s still working for our community, and we are so pleased and proud.”
In an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat during the 2024 election cycle, Inman-Johnson also noted their relationship, telling a reporter she encouraged Williams-Cox to run for city or county commission and even acted as an “unofficial campaign advisor” for her when she unsuccessfully ran for state representative.
Inman-Johnson has remained prominent local voice
Though it’s been years since Inman-Johnson has been an elected official, she has remained a prominent voice around City Hall, attending meetings and speaking out on hot-button issues.
She’s opined publicly on contract negotiations between firefighters and the city, the sale of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare to Florida State University and more. In her campaign announcement, Inman-Johnson even cited the “hostile state government takeover” of TMH and the “reckless selloff” of the Capital City Country Club as reasons for launching a campaign.
“Since the last election, the dysfunction at City Hall has become even worse,” she told the Democrat. “The people of Tallahassee deserve a viable alternative to Commissioner Williams-Cox who has given public dollars to her campaign consultants, sold our golf course and hospital and imposed an illegal fire fee tax.”
The news of Inman-Johnson’s return to the political arena comes a day after Joe Kalicki, a technology professional, announced he would be dropping out of the race for Seat 5. While he said the decision was a personal one, he foreshadowed what came next.
“I am dropping now so that the electorate has the chance to react by getting behind currently filed candidates opposing DWC, for someone to switch races, or for someone with name recognition to enter the race,” he said in a social media post.
“Dianne Williams-Cox still deserves to be beat, and she can be beat,” he wrote.
Kalicki said no one asked him to drop out, and Inman-Johnson said she didn’t speak with him about the decision.
“After speaking with my husband and praying on the decision I decided I’m not done yet,” she told the Democrat.
Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Dot Inman-Johnson announces bid for Tallahassee city commission
Reporting by Elena Barrera, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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