Eric Whitfield, a member of the Palm Beach County School Board since 2014, will soon be a Palm Beach County Commissioner. Whitfield was handily beating her opponent Teresa Johnson in the Democratic primary for Palm Beach County Commission District 2 over Teresa Johnson on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Because there are no Republican primary candidates, the winner is on the County Commission.
With 93% of precincts reporting about 8:20 p.m., Whitfield had 63% of the vote.
The District 2 seat on the County Commission is currently held by Gregg Weiss, who is term-limited and cannot run again. Weiss is running for West Palm Beach mayor against former West Palm Beach Commissioner Christina Lambert in the March 2027 election. West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James is term-limited.
County Commission District 2 includes parts of West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Lake Park, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Mangonia Park, Lake Clarke Shores, Palm Springs, Haverhill, Royal Palm Beach and Wellington. The district stretches from the Atlantic coast inland and includes neighborhoods in and around West Palm Beach as well as portions of the western communities.
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Whitfield, 48, from Lake Worth Beach, has been a member of the Palm Beach County School Board since 2014. Her campaign priorities are growth and development, traffic and infrastructure, housing affordability, public safety, and property taxes and fiscal responsibility.
Johnson, 60, from Haverhill, is the organizational development manager for Palm Tran, where she worked since 2022. Her campaign priorities were housing affordability, economic development and traffic and infrastructure.
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A closer look at the candidates for County Commission District 2
District 2 candidate Teresa Johnson, Democrat
Teresa Johnson, 60, from Haverhill, is the organizational development manager for Palm Tran, where she worked since 2022. She was executive director of the non-profit Northwest Community Consortium and an adjunct professor at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. She also served three terms on the Haverhill Town Council.
Her campaign priorities were housing affordability, economic development and traffic and infrastructure.
“Palm Beach County needs an experienced leader with proven impact who is ready to hit the ground running on day one,” she told The Palm Beach Post in a candidate questionnaire.
Asked why voters should choose her, she said:
“Voters should select me for the County Commission because Palm Beach County needs an experienced leader with proven impact who is ready to hit the ground running on day one to address the many complex issues facing the county. As an elected councilperson, my experience mirrors that of county commissioners. My opponent has little to no experience with many of the types of issues county commissioners deal with on a regular basis.”My extensive community involvement and service on numerous boards and committees also distinguishes me as most qualified candidate. And I am opposed to building data centers near schools or residential areas.”
District 2 candidate Erica Whitfield, Democrat
Erica Whitfield, 48, from Lake Worth Beach, has been a member of the Palm Beach County School Board since 2014.
Her campaign priorities are growth and development, traffic and infrastructure, housing affordability, public safety, and property taxes and fiscal responsibility.
“Palm Beach County is growing rapidly and the decisions we make now will shape our community for decades,” she told The Palm Beach Post in a candidate questionnaire.
Asked why voters should choose her, she said:
“After a long and successful tenure as a School Board Member, and after building strong relationships with elected officials, business leaders, and community partners, I decided to run for the County Commission to continue serving Palm Beach County in a broader capacity. Public service has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, and my years on the School Board have given me a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our community.
“Voters should choose me because I am the candidate with the largest breadth of experience, the most working local partnerships, and leadership I have developed can help move our county forward. Serving on the Board of County Commissioners will allow me to expand the work I have done in education and apply it to the wider issues that impact our residents every day, from economic opportunity and infrastructure to public health and quality of life. I am committed to using my experience to deliver results and make a meaningful difference for the people of Palm Beach County.”
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Other County Commission races
Candidates for Palm Beach County Commission District 6 in the Republican primary race are Elizabeth Accomando and Sara Baxter. The winner of that race will face the winner of the District 6 Democratic primary involving candidates Mario Guzman, Rudolph Tinker and Katherine Waldron.
Republican Marci Woodward and Democrat Curtis Calabrese went unopposed in their respective primaries in District 4 and will face each other in November.
This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Erica Whitfield routs challenger, on her way to County Commission seat
Reporting by Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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By Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
