:Wayne Messam

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Wayne Messam

|image = Mayor Messam.jpg

|office = 10th Mayor of Miramar

|term_start = April 1, 2015

|term_end =

|predecessor = Lori Cohen Moseley

|successor =

|office1 = Member of the Miramar City Commission
from the 4th district

|term_start1 = April 1, 2011

|term_end1 = April 1, 2015

|predecessor1 = Yvonne Garth

|successor1 = Darlene Riggs

|birth_name = Wayne Martin Messam

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|6|7}}

|birth_place = South Bay, Florida, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|spouse = Angela Messam

|children = 3

|education = Florida State University (BS)

|module = {{Infobox NFL biography

| embed = yes

| number = 89

| position = Wide receiver

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lbs = 208

| high_school = Glades Central High School

| college = Florida State

| undraftedyear = 1997

| pastteams = * Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|1997}})*

| highlights = * NCAA National Champion (1993)

}}

Wayne Martin Messam (born June 7, 1974){{Cite web|url=https://flvoters.com/pages/m110267.html|title=Florida voters, Messam, Wayne Martin thru Messana, Ruth M.|website=flvoters.com|access-date=March 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328191736/https://flvoters.com/pages/m110267.html|archive-date=March 28, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}} is a former American football wide receiver, businessman, and politician serving as the mayor of Miramar, Florida, a position he has held since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the Miramar City Commission in 2011 before defeating incumbent mayor Lori Cohen Moseley in the 2015 election. Messam is also a general contractor and owner of a construction firm.

Messam ran for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2020 United States presidential election. He officially launched his campaign on March 28, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/28/politics/wayne-messam-announces-2020-bid/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=March 28, 2019|author=Dan Merica|title=Florida Mayor Wayne Messam announces 2020 presidential bid|access-date=March 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328160240/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/28/politics/wayne-messam-announces-2020-bid/index.html|archive-date=March 28, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}} He suspended his presidential campaign on November 20, 2019, having failed to qualify for any of the Democratic debates.{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/11/20/20799135/wayne-messam-2020-presidential-primary-suspend-campaign|title=Wayne Messam, who called on Americans to #BeGreat, suspends his presidential bid|author=Sean Collins|date=November 20, 2019|work=Vox|access-date=November 20, 2019}}

Early life, education, and football

Messam was born in South Bay, Florida{{cite web |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article225201075.html |title=Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam mulls 2020 presidential campaign |work=Miami Herald |date=January 31, 2019 |access-date=February 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210152652/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article225201075.html |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }} to Delsey and Hubert, who had both emigrated from Jamaica. When the family came to the United States, Hubert worked as a migrant farmer in the sugarcane fields of Florida's Glades region.{{Cite web |title=Mayor Wayne M. Messam {{!}} Miramar, FL |url=https://www.miramarfl.gov/293/Mayor-Wayne-M-Messam |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=www.miramarfl.gov}}

After graduating from Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, Florida,{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/florida-state/Article/Bowden-Fisher-have-enjoyed-recruiting-success-in-South-Florida-32892963/ |title=Through the years: South Florida to FSU pipeline |publisher=247sports.com |access-date=February 19, 2019}} Messam attended Florida State University, where he played as a wide receiver for the Florida State Seminoles from 1993 through 1996. He was a member of the 1993 national championship team and caught 62 passes for 793 yards and four touchdowns during his college football career as a Seminole.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/florida-state/Bolt/Former-Nole-Wayne-Messam-elected-mayor-in-Miramar-36136169/ |title=Former 'Nole Wayne Messam elected mayor in Miramar |publisher=247sports.com |access-date=February 19, 2019}}{{dead link|date=April 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Messam was also a member of the Florida State Seminoles track and field team and competed at the 1993 Atlantic Coast Conference indoor championships in the 55 meter hurdles.{{cite web |title=Wayne Messam |url=https://nolefan.org/ath/a02166.html |website=nolefan.org |access-date=2 December 2024}} He graduated from Florida State in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems.

After not being selected in the 1997 NFL draft, Messam signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent {{cite news|last=Haft|first=Chris|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35381347/|title=Bengals nab native son Kresser|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|via=Newspapers.com|date=April 22, 1997|access-date=August 28, 2019}} and was released on August 4 of that year.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35381368/|title=Bengals announce two cuts|agency=AP|newspaper=Lancaster Eagle-Gazette|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 4, 1997|access-date=August 28, 2019}}

Career

Messam started a construction company in 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-mtblog-2011-03-miramars_messam_one_of_the_man-story.html |title=Miramar's Messam one of the many in that city with home in foreclosure |work=Sun Sentinel |date=March 22, 2011 |access-date=February 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219130253/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-mtblog-2011-03-miramars_messam_one_of_the_man-story.html |archive-date=February 19, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }} He was first elected to the City Commission of Miramar, Florida in 2011, and was elected as the city's mayor in 2015, defeating incumbent Lori Cohen Moseley and former vice mayor Alexandra Davis with 38.5% of the vote after vacating his commission seat.{{Cite news |url=https://247sports.com/college/florida-state/Bolt/Former-Nole-Wayne-Messam-elected-mayor-in-Miramar-36136169/ |title=Former 'Nole Wayne Messam elected mayor in Miramar|publisher=Noles 24/7|first=Bob|last=Ferrante|access-date=February 9, 2019}}{{dead link|date=April 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/miramar/fl-election-2015-miramar-20150310-story.html|title=Miramar ex-commissioner defeats incumbent mayor who was seeking historic fifth term|work=South Florida SunSentinel|first=Brian|last=Ballou|access-date=February 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210152623/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/miramar/fl-election-2015-miramar-20150310-story.html|archive-date=February 10, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}} He won re-election on March 12, 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-wayne-messam-presidential-announcement-date-20190318-story.html|title=Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam, readying presidential campaign, sets date for 'historic announcement'|publisher=Sun-Sentinel|date=March 18, 2019|access-date=March 18, 2019|author=Anthony Man|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320164128/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-wayne-messam-presidential-announcement-date-20190318-story.html|archive-date=March 20, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}

Messam serves as president of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials.{{Cite news |url=https://www.miramarfl.gov/293/Mayor-Wayne-M-Messam |title=Mayor Wayne M. Messam |publisher=City of Miramar |access-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210152526/https://www.miramarfl.gov/293/Mayor-Wayne-M-Messam |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}

=2020 presidential campaign=

In early 2019, some sources indicated that he was considering a bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, which he neither confirmed nor denied, stating that "all options will remain on the table."{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article225201075.html|title=Can anyone be president in 2020? This South Florida mayor may run and find out.|work=Miami Herald|first=David|last=Smiley|access-date=February 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210152652/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article225201075.html|archive-date=February 10, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}{{cite tweet |user=waynemessam |number=1092495853795856384 |date=February 4, 2019 |title=My wife Angela and I count it a blessing that the great record of the city of Miramar would even place us in this conversation. When it comes to being an ambassador for the city, I have always said that all options will remain on the table.}} On March 13, 2019, he announced the formation of an exploratory committee for a potential run and formally announced his candidacy nine days later.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/13/politics/florida-mayor-wayne-messam-2020-committee/|title=Little-known Florida mayor to announce 2020 exploratory committee|publisher=CNN|date=March 13, 2019|access-date=March 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408164704/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/13/politics/florida-mayor-wayne-messam-2020-committee/|archive-date=April 8, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}

His campaign received $43,531 in campaign donations in the first quarter of 2019. In April, he was accused of failing to pay his staff.{{Cite web|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miramar-mayor-wayne-messams-presidential-campaign-in-chaos-11150790|title=Presidential Candidate Wayne Messam Missed Payroll for Campaign Team, Ex-Staffer Says|last=Lipscomb|first=Jessica|date=April 19, 2019|website=Miami New Times|access-date=October 22, 2019}} On June 28, he told Fortune Magazine that lack of money had kept his campaign from receiving national attention.{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2019/06/25/wayne-messam-democratic-debate/|title=Wayne Messam: Money Kept Me Out of the First Democratic Debate. Will It Keep Me Out of the Second?|website=Fortune|language=en|access-date=October 22, 2019}}

Messam's third quarter fundraising report initially declared that he had received only $5 in income, and had spent $0. Messam claimed that the low amounts were attributable to a "computer glitch."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/us/politics/wayne-messam-5-dollars.html|title=A Presidential Candidate Reported Raising $5 Last Quarter. Yes, $5.|last1=Astor|first1=Maggie|date=October 15, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 16, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2019/10/15/wayne-messam-democratic-presidential-candidate-only-raised-5/3989992002/|title=Democratic presidential candidate Wayne Messam appears to raise $5 over the last quarter|last1=Wu|first1=Nicholas|date=October 15, 2019|work=USA Today|access-date=October 16, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/timeline-of-wayne-messams-collapsing-2020-presidential-campaign-11293119|title=Say Goodbye to Wayne Messam, the Presidential Hopeful Who Raised Just $5 Last Quarter|first=Jessica|last=Lipscomb|date=October 16, 2019|website=Miami New Times}} Messam later corrected these amounts to state that he had received $15,312 in income and spent $10,678 during the third quarter.{{cite web |author1=Wayne Messam for America, Inc. |title=Form 3P |url=https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/C00699280/1363477/ |website=Federal Election Commission |date=2019-11-19}} His year-end quarterly reports showed that between the beginning of the fourth quarter and the end of his campaign, Messam received no money in contributions.{{Cite web|url=https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/C00699280/1378900|title=Form 3P for WAYNE MESSAM FOR AMERICA, INC.|website=docquery.fec.gov|access-date=2020-02-01}}

Messam suspended his presidential campaign on November 20, 2019. He did not qualify for any Democratic debate and was not classified as a "major candidate" by outlets such as FiveThirtyEight.{{Cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/heres-how-were-defining-a-major-presidential-candidate/|title=Here's How We're Defining A 'Major' Presidential Candidate|first=Nate|last=Silver|date=March 26, 2019}}

Electoral history

All of the elections below were non-partisan.

File:Wayne Messam (46988583975).jpg

{{Election box begin no party no change|title=Miramar City Commission District 4, 2011{{cite web|url=https://www.browardsoe.org/Election-Information/Election-Results-Copy|title=Election Results|website=www.browardsoe.org|access-date=February 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210152557/https://www.browardsoe.org/Election-Information/Election-Results-Copy|archive-date=February 10, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}}}