Ron DeSantis endorses Mark Sheldon for Panama City Beach mayor reelection

Brendon Leslie contributed to this report.

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed Republican Panama City Beach Mayor Mark Sheldon for reelection on Saturday, bucking the local Bay County GOP’s preferred candidate.

“Mayor Mark Sheldon has been a good partner with the State of Florida as we work to promote freedom, public safety and small business,” DeSantis said. “I support his re-election as Panama City Beach mayor and look forward to working with him in the future!”

The election takes place on Tuesday, April 16.

The Bay County GOP, headed by Tho Bishop, has pushed former Democrat Stuart Tettemer for the position.

Tettemer previously supported Bernie Sanders for president and voted at least three times as a Democrat.

He had been a Democrat since 2001, and moved to Panama City Beach only recently.

In 2016, Tettemer donated to Sanders’ presidential campaign, according to records, via ActBlue.

One of Tettemer’s main policy platforms is to prioritize “locals” over tourism. However, the city is a bastion of tourism and obtains a lot of revenue from that source.

If successful, Panama City Beach residents can be hit with an ad valorem – or property tax – which residents currently don’t need to worry about.