Samuel Kaufman has been elected the first Jewish mayor of Key West, Florida, defeating incumbent Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez with approximately 58% of the vote.

The longtime attorney and city commissioner has lived and worked in Key West for 30 years. The island city has about 25,000 permanent residents, including an estimated 1,000 Jews.

Kaufman says Key West’s strong Jewish and Israeli connections have largely shielded it from the anti-Israel activism seen in other progressive cities, noting that Palestinian flags are virtually never seen there.

Following the October 7 Hamas massacre, Kaufman sponsored a unanimously approved resolution condemning the attack and supporting Israel. The Israeli flag was subsequently flown outside Key West City Hall for four months.