Buckhorn files to run for Tampa mayor again in 2027

Former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has filed to run for mayor in 2027, re-entering a race taking shape around housing, infrastructure and how the city manages continued growth.

Buckhorn, who served from 2011 to 2019, filed paperwork April 13. His entry adds a former two-term mayor to a field that includes Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak and entrepreneur Gary Hartfield, who filed earlier this year.

His political committee has raised more than $1 million ahead of the filing.

“Tampa’s growth is real, but so are the challenges,” Buckhorn said, citing housing costs, traffic congestion and aging infrastructure.

Buckhorn’s campaign leans on his record during Tampa’s post-recession recovery, when the city balanced budgets and positioned itself for private investment. Projects including the Tampa Riverwalk and Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park reshaped the downtown waterfront and helped drive development.

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His campaign focuses on extending investment beyond the urban core into neighborhoods that have not fully shared in the city’s expansion.

The mayor’s office controls city operations, including department leadership, budget execution and capital planning, giving the next mayor significant influence over land use, infrastructure spending and development policy.

Buckhorn said the next phase will require coordination across government, business and community stakeholders, with a focus on long-term planning as population and economic pressures intensify.

The election is scheduled for March 2027. The race is expected to center on housing supply, transit, infrastructure capacity and affordability as Tampa continues to absorb new residents and investment.