“Unapologetic, Unhinged, Unafraid”: Tamarac Commissioner Bolton Sworn in Along With Newcomer Patterson

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Commissioner Marlon Bolton was sworn into office for a third term Monday at City Hall along with newly elected Commissioner Krystal Patterson.

Bolton, a controversial figure in Broward politics, began his third term in public office with remarks by turns conciliatory and combative. He thanked his wife, son, and stylist; lauded his donors and campaign volunteers; and said God had “sen[t] me to the city of Tamarac to lead” before his first run for office in 2016.

“When I was a child my mother used to tell me, the hotter the battle, the sweeter the victory. And I did not know the meaning of that quote until now, in this moment,” said Bolton, who like Patterson spoke to raucous applause in the commission chambers. “I know how sweet this victory is, not because I had a fierce opponent – because I don’t believe I did – but because of the type of campaign her allies chose to run.”

It was not clear what Bolton meant by the remark. After his reelection on Nov. 5, the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board called Bolton “an electoral menace who tricked voters with false advertising, made untrue statements about his opponents on a fake news site, and had his campaign workers intimidate voters at the city’s early voting center.”

Bolton overwhelmingly defeated his District 1 challenger in the election, Tamarac Planning Board and Affordable Housing Advisory Board member Viola Watson, with 68 percent of the vote.

According to Bolton, the victory made him the first Black person to serve three terms as commissioner in the city. He was originally elected in 2016 and reelected in 2020.

On Monday, the pastor at North Lauderdale’s Praise Experience Church, Bolton, told a story about worshiping at Redeeming Word Christian Center International in Fort Lauderdale ahead of his 2016 campaign.

“I didn’t know if I was going to run, and I felt lost as a pastor, and I just wanted to find somewhere to sit – if you’re a pastor, sometimes you just want to be pastored [to].”

The pastor at the church “preached a word that confirmed to me that God was sending me to the city of Tamarac to lead,” Bolton said. “There were days when I felt like I wanted to give up, but I remembered that word.”

The commissioner also sounded a few apologetic notes to his political rivals, issuing a direct apology to Tamarac Mayor Michelle Gomez.

“I know that a lot of supporters are waiting on me to bash the mayor and not work with her, but Mayor Gomez, I apologize for all the hurt,” said Bolton, who has made a number of personal attacks on Gomez since 2016.

“I hope that we can move together in love and in unity. I bury the hatchet. This is my olive branch. I love you. I love Tamarac. And that is from the bottom of my heart.”

In other statements Monday, Bolton told the crowd of supporters he wanted “to be clear that I’ve not changed.”

“I’m the same Marlon: unbossed, unapologetic, unhinged, and unafraid. And I will continue to make decisions that benefit others, not myself, even if it’s a decision that costs me $85,000.”

The number was an apparent reference to Bolton losing his $85,000 a year government job on the staff of Broward County Commissioner Hazelle Rogers, who said just days before the election that Bolton’s “services [were] longer required.”

Bolton on Monday also hinted at a run for a different public office.

“In case you’re wondering what my next move is, one equals nine,” the commissioner said, a possible reference to the nine-seat Broward County Commission.

After Bolton spoke, Patterson thanked her supporters in the crowd and said she was “profoundly humbled and deeply honored to be sworn in as the first Black woman to represent Tamarac District 3.”

“Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to chart a transformative path forward, one rooted in collaboration, equity, and a shared vision for a brighter future,” said Patterson, who defeated incumbent Commissioner Elvin Villalobos on Nov. 5. “So the girls watching, especially those who struggle to see their value or their place in this world and those who have struggled to find their voice, this moment is for you.”

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Author Profile

Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning journalist and author of two nonfiction books. He covers general assignment news and Jewish community issues for Talk Media. He has also worked as a staff writer at The Miami Times, the Rio Grande SUN, the New York Daily News, Newsday, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, The Riverdale Press, and Bronx Justice News.