Coral Springs Commissioner Joshua Simmons wants to lead Coral Springs into its next chapter.
He just launched a campaign for Mayor, positioning himself as a leader with deep local roots and a record of results on infrastructure, planning and neighborhood investment.
Standing in his way is Mayor Scott Brook, a longtime public servant now in his second stint as the city’s top official, having most recently been sworn in for another term in November 2024.
First elected to the City Commission in 2018, Simmons has spent the last several years focused on strengthening neighborhoods, improving public infrastructure and ensuring Coral Springs remains a well-managed city that delivers for residents.
If elected, he would become the city’s first Black Mayor. He previously made history as the first Black person to serve as a Coral Springs Commissioner and Vice Mayor.
“I’m running for Mayor because Coral Springs needs a forward-thinking, people-centered vision for the future,” Simmons said in a statement.
“Our city serves as an example to the county and the state of how to create new opportunities for residents and visitors to work, live, and play. We have great neighborhoods, top-rated schools, and engaged residents. My goal is to build on that foundation with thoughtful planning, smart investment, and leadership that brings people together to get things done.”
Simmons, 38, plans to run on a platform prioritizing affordability, fiscal discipline, public safety, long-term planning and “advocating aggressively for Coral Springs at every level of government to ensure the city continues to deliver high-quality services without overburdening residents,” his campaign said.
His candidacy builds on a résumé that blends local governance with regional and national policy work. As a City Commissioner, a press note from his campaign said, he helped secure more than $50 million in outside funding for Coral Springs projects and advocated for initiatives such as the Everglades Memorial Loop. His priorities have consistently centered on public safety, mobility, infrastructure and long-term planning, with an emphasis on transparency and fiscal discipline.
He also spent seven years on the Broward County Metropolitan Planning Organization, where he worked on delivering nearly $10 million in transportation and mobility funding to Coral Springs.
Today, he serves as Chair of the National League of Cities’ Federal Advocacy Committee for Transportation and Infrastructure Services, working with local officials nationwide to shape federal policy that directly impacts cities.
“Local government is where people feel the impact of leadership most directly,” Simmons said. “Whether it’s the condition of our roads, the safety of our neighborhoods, or how city services respond when people need help. Effective local leadership matters. As Mayor, I will always put Coral Springs first.”
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Simmons moved to Coral Springs at 22 to care for his younger sister while his single mother was deployed overseas with the U.S. Navy. He holds a master’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University.
Before entering politics, he worked as a mental health counselor and public school teacher. In 2016, two years before successfully seeking office himself, Simmons helped Judge Florence Taylor Barner become the first Haitian American woman elected to the Broward County bench.
Today, he works as a client development manager for the Whitehouse Group, a Fort Lauderdale-based management and consulting firm specializing in government infrastructure.
Among his most visible initiatives in Coral Springs was the Suncoast Regional Emmy Award-winning “Conversations with a Commissioner” series, launched during the COVID pandemic, which addressed race, policing and community trust following the murder of George Floyd.
Simmons and Brook, 61, are the only candidates running for Mayor so far, City Clerk records show.
All five of the Coral Springs Commission’s at-large seats are up for grabs in the city’s Nov. 3 election.
State voter records show both Brook and Simmons area registered Democrats.
