Gov. Ron DeSantis nominates Palm Beach Co. Commissioner Dave Kerner to be head of Florida Highway Safety

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Palm Beach County commissioner was nominated Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis to become the next head of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Commissioner Dave Kerner, who represents District 3, was nominated to become the executive director of the department.

Kerner, who previously served as the county’s mayor, will serve as the interim executive director until his nomination is brought before the Cabinet for final approval at a Jan. 17 meeting.

The commissioner was elected to the board in November 2016 and reelected in 2020.

During his time as county mayor, he was appointed by DeSantis to the statewide COVID-19 task force.

Kerner, a Democrat, endorsed DeSantis during the governor’s reelection campaign last year.

He is slated to take over for Terry Rhodes, who has led the department since 2014.

Rhodes’ departure was announced in a tweet Dec. 5 by DeSantis.

DeSantis also announced the appointment of Michael Barnett, the vice chair of the Republican executive committee of Palm Beach County, to fill the commissioner’s vacancy.