Political unknown first to file for Tallahassee mayor race while seasoned leaders have not
The political veterans who have expressed interest in the city's top post — the mayor himself, John E. Dailey, City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow and County Commissioner Christian Caban — have sent mixed messages about whether they'll actually run.
After those closest to him initially indicated he wouldn't be running, Dailey spoke with the Tallahassee Democrat about a possible re-election before the All-America City competition in Denver, where the city took home top honors. The conversation was brief, as he said he was focused on other matters, but he expressed excitement for the work the city has accomplished and the accolades they've been getting.
Dailey added that any news of his political future would come after July 4 weekend, as to not take away from the celebration of the city's latest All-America title and the family-focused holiday.
Matlow initially said he'd only run for mayor if Dailey wasn't seeking re-election, but in an April radio appearance, he told Sean Pittman, a prominent Tallahassee lawyer and lobbyist, that he will be running for mayor outright. Matlow's aide, Ryan Ray, said the commissioner was unable to provide comment to the Democrat before publication because he was "doing other stuff" and "preoccupied."
Around the same time as Matlow's radio interview, Caban appeared on the WCTV political talk show 'The Usual Suspects" and also said that he'd strongly consider running for mayor if Dailey didn't have plans to seek a third term. He hasn't made any further public moves to put these plans in motion, but as insiders now predict Dailey will run again, Caban remains non-committal.
"However, if he chooses to run, our office would be glad to see him continue his career in public service." Caban said in a statement. "However, I have been steadfast in my call to action over the last few years on the need for attention to the important inner-city District 2 neighborhoods from Pensacola Street to the Tharpe Street corridor. I look forward to collaborating with the mayor's office to bring meaningful solutions to these vital parts of our community."
While the three established politicians haven't filed for the mayoral office, Camron Cooper, 25, was quick to make his candidacy official June 27, according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Cooper, a Tallahassee native who goes by Camron Justice, told the Democrat in an interview that he knows he is the underdog in this race due to many factors – his age and lack of political experience to name a few – but not having the upper hand is something he said he's familiar with.
"When you have someone with little political experience, and you have someone with 20 plus years of it, [people] automatically want to try to go with the guy with 20 plus years," Cooper said. "But just because you have experience doesn't mean that you're necessarily the best one for the job."
"We're old enough to go to war for this country, we should be old enough to run for a seat to represent our cities and our communities," he added.
While the political newcomer will be fighting an uphill battle in the polls, he currently is winning the social media game as some posts have garnered almost 230,000 views on TikTok, including a video posted on the day he filed to run. In his videos, he addresses his platform and talks about how he's right for the job despite the qualities that many might view as a reason to vote against him.
People are being ignored, Cooper said, and he intends to change that. The budding politician has plans to improve things like housing affordability, homelessness, public safety, the arts district and small business survival in the capital city.
"I've lived here my entire life," he said. "I've seen changes; I've seen things get better, seen things get worse. If I can be a part of that change and get us over the hump that I think we're at and allow us to achieve our greatness, then I want to be a part of that."
City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox is the only other candidate who has filed for office, as she is seeking a re-election to her leadership role in Seat 5.
"So today, July 1, 2025, we did a thing... Let's Go," she wrote on a Facebook post with a photo from the Election Supervisor's office.
Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 2026 Tallahassee mayor race: Newcomer files to run as incumbents wait
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