Orlando city commissioner-elect Roger Chapin has chosen former opponent Chris Durant to serve as one of his two office aides, telling Orlando Weekly that he believes Durant has the “passion” and “commitment” to help effectively serve the community.
Durant, a 24-year-old real estate professional and first-time candidate for office, placed third in a five-way general election conducted last November for the same District 3 City Council seat that Chapin officially assumes today.
Because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote in the November general election, a runoff election was held between Chapin — who received the most votes during the general election — and Mira Tanna, the city’s grant manager, who also ran for District 3 and placed second.
Chapin won the runoff election held the following month, getting 51 percent of the vote to Tanna’s 48 percent. The victory came after Durant swiftly endorsed Chapin and even hit the campaign trail as a paid canvasser for Chapin, shortly after his loss in November. Campaign finance records show Chapin’s campaign paid Durant at least $6,000 for “contract labor” over the course of the month between the general and runoff elections. According to city documents, Durant will be paid an annual salary of $69,355 as Chapin’s aide, serving in a “trainee” capacity.
City documents show Chapin is also seeking to hire Lauren Rugh, an Orlando native and graduate of the University of Florida’s School of Journalism who also worked on Chapin’s campaign, as digital communications specialist for his office. Both jobs are subject to approval by Orlando City Council, who are expected to give a thumbs-up to their employment agreements during their first meeting of the year today.
“I’m proud of Chris and Lauren,” Chapin told Orlando Weekly over email, when questioned about the new hire of his former competitor. “I believe in giving young people early opportunities to make a positive difference in our community.”
Durant, who earned 18 percent of the vote in the November election against Chapin, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Orlando Weekly on his new job opportunity ahead of publication. He previously affirmed to our reporter just ahead of the December runoff that there was no “pay to play” deal between him and Chapin, arguing that he sincerely believed Chapin was the best candidate for the job.
“The people of this district mean much more to me than money,” Durant, a native of his district, told the Weekly. “And my standards, my ethics and my moral character means much more to me than some money.”
Chapin, a business consultant and son of former Orange County mayor Linda Chapin, previously ran for Orlando City Council in 2002, and lost, after angling to become one of the youngest city commissioners in history at just 31 years old. He later went on to serve on various municipal boards over the years, overseeing the development of the Dr. Phillips Center and advocating for the addition of the UCF campus in downtown’s Creative Village.
Chapin will assume his District 3 seat on City Council Monday, Jan. 12, representing approximately 33,000 registered voters across neighborhoods such as College Park, Rosemont, Audubon Park, the North Quarter and Baldwin Park.
He will join on the dais fellow incoming city commissioner Tom Keen — a former Florida House member who secured an upset victory over District 1 incumbent Jim Gray this past November — in addition to sitting commissioners Tony Ortiz, Patty Sheehan, Shan Rose and Bakari Burns. Chapin was endorsed for office by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (who will be vacating his office in 2028) and Chapin’s predecessor, longtime city commissioner Robert Stuart.
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