Dr. Teresa Johnson enters race for Palm Beach County Commission District 2

Haverhill Town Councilwoman Dr. Teresa Johnson has qualified to run for the open Palm Beach County Commission District 2 seat, where incumbent Gregg Weiss is term-limited. Her campaign is centered on housing affordability, economic development and transportation, with Election Day set for Aug. 18.

Why it matters: - Palm Beach County District 2 is an open seat because incumbent Gregg Weiss is not seeking re-election under term limits. - Johnson is running on affordability and infrastructure issues that affect housing costs, job growth and daily commuting across the county. - The race will help shape county policy on the housing bond, transportation planning and small business support.

What happened: - Democrat Dr. Teresa M. Johnson has qualified to run for the Palm Beach County Commission District 2 seat. - Johnson is a three-term Haverhill Town Councilwoman and a lifelong Palm Beach County resident. - Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 18. - More information is available on Johnson for County Commission.

The details: - Johnson has served on the Palm Beach County Re-Entry Task Force and the Citizens Committee on Airport Noise. - Johnson is also a member of the Delta Chapter of Eta Phi Beta. - Johnson holds a B.A. cum laude in business administration, an M.S. in organizational leadership and non-profit management, and a doctorate in public policy and administration. - Johnson currently works as organizational development manager for Palm Tran. - Johnson also serves as an adjunct professor at McDaniel College, where she taught Introduction to Public Policy. - Johnson previously led the Northwest Community Consortium as executive director. - Johnson is vice chair of the Northwest Community Health Alliance, where she focuses on access to healthcare for underinsured and uninsured families. - Johnson says her priorities include housing affordability, economic development, traffic and infrastructure. - Johnson wants to increase housing supply and maximize the number of homeowners created through the voter-approved Housing Bond. - Johnson also wants to support small business sustainability and job creation. - Johnson supports completing a countywide Transportation Master Plan and expanding Adaptive Signal Technology to improve traffic light timing. - Johnson said she has received strong community support and expects her experience on Haverhill Town Council to translate to county government with a minimal learning curve.

Between the lines: - Johnson is positioning herself as a candidate with local government experience and policy credentials rather than as a political newcomer. - Her platform reflects a broader county-level squeeze on housing affordability, transit reliability and economic mobility. - The housing bond and transportation plan are likely to become early tests of how the next commissioner balances growth, cost and infrastructure needs.

What's next: - Johnson will campaign through the Aug. 18 election. - Voters in District 2 will decide whether to keep the seat aligned with Johnson’s affordability-first agenda or choose a different direction.

The bottom line: - Palm Beach County’s open District 2 race is shaping up as a contest over housing, jobs and traffic — with Johnson betting that local experience and policy focus will give her an edge.