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‘I’m the happiest mayor in America’: Buddy Dyer reelected Orlando mayor

‘I’m the happiest mayor in America’: Buddy Dyer reelected Orlando mayor
GAIL PASCHALL-BROWN IS LIVE DOWNTOWN. GAIL: THE MAYOR JUST LEFT AND YOU CAN SEE A FEW OF HIS SUPPORTERS ARE STILL HERE. JUST UNDER 12% OF VOTER TURNOUT, BUDDY DYER TOOK THE ELECTION BY 72% OVER HIS OPPONENTS SAM INGS AND BUSINESSWOMAN ARETHA SIMONS. EVERYONE WAS ROCKING HERE. >> HOW HAPPY ARE YOU? >> I’M THE HAPPIEST MAYOR IN AMERICA, AND I’M EVEN HAPPIER TONIGHT. >> BUDDY DYER. GAIL: THAT’S BECAUSE ORLANDO VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN. JUST 30 MINUTES AFTER THE POLLS CLOSED, BUDDY DYER PICKED UP HIS SIXTH TERM AS MAYOR, DEFEATING ORLANDO CITY COMMISSIONER SAM INGS AND BUSINESSWOMAN ARETHA SIMONS FOR 16 YEARS, BUDDY DYER HAS LED THE CITY BEAUTIFUL, AND TUESDAY, HE WON REPORTEDLY HIS WIDEST MARGIN OF VICTORY YET, 72%. >> SO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID 16 YEARS IS TOO MUCH, BUT IT TURNS OUT WE’RE NOT DONE YET. [APPLAUSE] GAIL: SUPPORTERS ARE EXCITED. >> VERY EXCITED, OBVIOUSLY. HE’S A VISIONARY WHO HAS LOOKED TO SEE NOT ONLY WHAT’S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ORLANDO, BUT CENTRAL FLORIDA AS A WHOLE, SO BEING PART OF THAT, WORKING FOR A LEADER LIKE THAT, IS EXCITING. >> THROUGHOUT THE CITY, HE HAS BEEN A VISIONARY FOR NOW ALMOST 16 YEARS, AND NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER FOUR YEARS. I’M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS UNDER MAYOR BUDDY DYER’S LEADERSHIP. GAIL: AND DYER SAYS THERE’S MUCH TO DO. >> WE WANT TO GET SUNRAIL TO THE AIRPORT. WE WANT TO GET CREATIVE VILLAGE MORE THAN PHASE ONE. WE WANT TO FINISH THE DR. PHILIPS CENTER, WE WANT TO WORK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING. GAIL: MAYOR BUDDY DYER HAD A LOTS OF SUPPORTERS TONIGHT. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE VAL DEMINGS SERVED AS POLICE CHIEF UNDER MAYOR DYER. SHE SAYS VOTERS SENT A RESOUNDING MESSAGE TUESDAY. >> I THINK IT’S TESTAMENT TO THE KIND OF PERSON THAT HE IS, THAT HE REPRESENTS EVERY COMMUNITY AND OBVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY WANT S TO SEE FOUR MORE YEARS. GAIL: BUDDY DYER SAYS THE RESIDENCE IN ORLANDO HAVE SPOKEN LOUDLY AND CLEARLY AND HE IS HUMBLED BY THE MARGIN OF VICTORY TONIGHT.
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‘I’m the happiest mayor in America’: Buddy Dyer reelected Orlando mayor
Voters of Orlando have made their decision, reelecting Buddy Dyer as mayor for his sixth term.Dyer takes on his sixth term with his widest margin win ever at 72 percent. The win came only 30 minutes after polls closed, defeating Orlando City commissioner Sam Ings and businesswoman Aretha Simons."I'm the happiest mayor in America and I'm even happier tonight," Dyer said.Dyer has led the City Beautiful for the last 16 years."A couple of people have said 16 years is too much but it turns out we're not done yet," Dyer told the crowd at his campaign party.Rep. Val Demings, who served as police chief under Dyer, said voters sent a resounding message."Obviously he was showing off tonight but again I think it's testament to the kind of person that he is, that he represents every community and obviously the community want to see four more years," Demings said.Dyer said there is still much that he wants to do in Orlando."We want to get SunRail to the airport, we want to get Creative Village more than phase one," Dyer said.Dyer also said he wanted to finish the Dr. Phillips Center and work on affordable housing for those in the city.

Voters of Orlando have made their decision, reelecting Buddy Dyer as mayor for his sixth term.

Dyer takes on his sixth term with his widest margin win ever at 72 percent. The win came only 30 minutes after polls closed, defeating Orlando City commissioner Sam Ings and businesswoman Aretha Simons.

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"I'm the happiest mayor in America and I'm even happier tonight," Dyer said.

Dyer has led the City Beautiful for the last 16 years.

"A couple of people have said 16 years is too much but it turns out we're not done yet," Dyer told the crowd at his campaign party.

Rep. Val Demings, who served as police chief under Dyer, said voters sent a resounding message.

"Obviously he was showing off tonight but again I think it's testament to the kind of person that he is, that he represents every community and obviously the community want to see four more years," Demings said.

Dyer said there is still much that he wants to do in Orlando.

"We want to get SunRail to the airport, we want to get Creative Village more than phase one," Dyer said.

Dyer also said he wanted to finish the Dr. Phillips Center and work on affordable housing for those in the city.