Two out individuals vie to become mayor of Lake Worth Beach in the March 19 elections. But to do that they’ll need to defeat a straight woman who is a noted LGBTQ ally in the city.
Andy Amoroso is no stranger to politics, having served on the City Commission in the past. Alex Cull is a newcomer to politics and hopes to add a fresh face to the commission.
Betty Resch is the incumbent and has received the endorsement of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council over her LGBTQ challengers.
A fourth candidate, William Joseph, is also running.
Resch helped spearhead the effort to declare Lake Worth Beach as a sanctuary city for the queer community.
“Rand [Hoch] called me last summer and asked, ‘Would you sponsor a resolution declaring Lake Worth Beach a sanctuary city for the LGBT community?’” Resch said. “I said, ‘Of course.’ And I did it.”
Amoroso noted that he “spent 10 years moving gay and lesbian issues forward” in the city.
Amoroso emphasized the importance of allyship while also sharing his personal experiences with homophobia.
“I want to thank our allies out there because [our] allies have been very supportive. But even being an openly gay man, you always have to look over your shoulder, especially as an elected [official],” said Amoroso, who previously served as District 3 Commissioner and vice mayor. “I remember the one email that I kept from my 10 years at City Hall was from a church group saying that my mother should have aborted me.”
Cull has also been the victim of homophobic language.
“I myself, as many queer people have over the years, suffered from hate attacks,” Cull said. “Just this last year, someone called me a faggot when I was trying to find PVC piping in Home Depot, just because my shorts were a little too short that day, I suppose. It’s vital, vital, vital that queer people like myself feel safe here.”
Sarah Malega serves on the commission and is running for re-election for District 1 in Lake Worth Beach.
Both Malega and Resch received the Palm Beach Post’s endorsement. Malega was also endorsed by LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, a PAC (Political Action Committee) focused on increasing the number of LGBTQ public officials in the U.S.
Malega was a pivotal player in Lake Worth Beach’s declaration as a sanctuary city for the LGBTQ community.
“Our mayor brought that forward and read it, but I was 100% behind it,” Malega said.
Cull echoed those sentiments about the sanctuary city declaration.
“My understanding of and my frustration, though, really comes from the fact that yes, while we have seen the bill passed by the city [...] under Mayor Resch that declared Lake Worth Beach, the first sanctuary city for LGBTQ individuals. That's fantastic. That's wonderful,” Cull said. “And I'm so proud to say that Lake Worth Beach is the first sanctuary city [in] the entire state of Florida. But we have to do more than words.”
