The 2027 race for West Palm Beach Mayor is now a three-person contest with the entry of construction industry professional Aaron Moreno.
Moreno, an Orlando native now living in West Palm Beach, is formally announcing his bid Thursday to succeed term-limited Mayor Keith James in March 2027.
Two others have been running for the job for more than a year: Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss and West Palm Beach City Commissioner Christina Lambert, who raised $269,000 and $1 million through Dec. 31, respectively.
A former film and TV industry pro — his parents run an Orlando-based casting agency, and he also worked with Disney — Moreno has worked in building and construction since 2012, according to his campaign website.
He also owned and operated a short-lived reclaimed woodworking business.
Moreno said in a statement that he decided to run for Mayor to address what he called a growing disconnect between City Hall and residents.
“Too many people feel unheard,” he said. “It’s time to change that.”
Public safety is the cornerstone of Moreno’s platform. He is calling for increased police staffing, more visible patrols and greater coordination between law enforcement and the judicial system to address repeat offenders.
Moreno’s campaign cites crime data showing West Palm Beach ranks below many Florida communities in safety, and he argues that improving conditions will require both enforcement and social services.
He’s proposing a multipronged approach to homelessness, a three-phase plan to ease traffic congestion, lower property taxes, free two-hour downtown parking for residents and streamlined permitting to reduce utility costs.
He is also emphasizing transparency, including clearer water quality reporting and a direct communication line between residents and the Mayor’s Office, where he says developers today get preferential treatment over residents and key city services.
“We’re seeing shiny new development, but our police station is still dealing with mold,” he said. “That’s unacceptable.”
Moreno lives in West Palm Beach with his wife and children. His campaign site says he has lived in the city for 20 years, though his voter registration listed an Orlando home as his primary residence until 2019. His campaign told Florida Politics he lived in both cities over the past two decades before more firmly planting his roots in West Palm seven years ago.
He said his prioritization of public safety hardened after he had to shield his wife and son during a “violent brawl involving multiple homeless individuals” near City Hall.
“If our residents don’t feel safe, nothing else matters,” he continued. “We must act — on crime and on homelessness — with urgency, and compassion.”
Moreno, 40, is registered to vote without party affiliation. Weiss and Lambert — 68 and 46, respectively — are Democrats.
Moreno’s campaign launch is set for 5 p.m. Thursday at Howard Park. The event is open to the public.
