Listening and leading: Those who know Ron deHarte best describe what to expect from city’s next mayor

Ron deHarte is set to make history as Palm Springs’ first openly gay Mexican American mayor Thursday, bringing a unique blend of business experience and community leadership to the position. Known for his thoughtful approach and dedication to inclusivity, we decided to go to the people who know him best to find out what Palm Springs can expect from the next mayor.

Fellow Palm Springs City Councilmember Lisa Middleton, who will be leaving her District 5 seat Thursday evening, describes deHarte as “thoughtful, intelligent, professional, and caring,” noting that he maintains respect for his colleagues and has a caring nature.

He also believes in the community and is willing to fight for the city’s progressive values and for its residents.

“He takes his time in coming to conclusions and offering his opinions,” Middleton said recently. “You see it in the way that he describes issues and the breadth of his knowledge of our community, business interests, the residents, and the various neighborhoods… he’s on top of his game.”

DeHarte is a longtime community organizer, public servant, human rights advocate, and small business owner with deep roots in Palm Springs. Aside from his tenure on the City Council – he was first elected in 2022 — he served two terms as chair of the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission and has extensive local leadership experience, including active roles on various committees such as the Palm Springs Police Chief’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee and the Business Transition & Re-entry Task Force.

He is perhaps best known as the president and CEO of Greater Palm Springs Pride, which he has been involved with since 2010. The organization not only organizes the largest annual community event in the city – a Pride festival and parade each November – but also the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, the Cathedral City LGBT Days, and more.

It’s a lot to take on. But deHarte’s husband of nearly 30 years, Keith Gran, emphasizes his partner’s unwavering commitment to his responsibilities.

“He lives and breathes everything he does. He works 24/7,” Gran says, recalling how, for years after deHarte started Palm Springs Pride, he wouldn’t sleep from Friday to Sunday because there was so much work to be done. “Last night, I went to bed at midnight, and he was still up and working.

“So there’s no boundary between personal time and dedication to the city. He’s just going to work until it’s done.”

As mayor, deHarte has expressed interest in bringing efficiency to city government while maintaining a balanced approach.

“He’ll listen to what the citizens of Palm Springs want and deliver on that,” Gran says. “He’s very in the middle on a lot of stuff, so he wants to serve everyone in our city.”

Gran also highlights deHarte’s ability to navigate disagreements professionally.

“He can disagree with someone and still wants to go out to dinner, have a good time, and work with them on other things,” he explains. “He’s not going to be bitter, fight, or hold a grudge. He’s going to move on.”

David Powell, who runs the Desert Business Association – the area’s LGBTQ chamber of commerce — has collaborated with deHarte on numerous community projects for nine years. He describes the incoming mayor as “thoughtful, inclusive, and focused on equity.”

“He wants to make sure that all communities, not just the gay community, not just the straight community, and not just the Black or white community — he wants to make sure all communities are included and have an opportunity in any of these decisions,” Powell says.

Powell notes deHarte’s commitment to the LGBTQ community, particularly youth.

“He really has been a proponent for our LGBTQ and allied youth in the valley,” Powell says, highlighting his work on the board of Safe Schools Desert Cities, which focuses on promoting safety and inclusion for LGBTQ+ students in schools across the Coachella Valley.

As the organizer of Palm Springs Pride, deHarte has worked to ensure the event remains accessible to all.

“His goal is to ensure that everyone enjoys Palm Springs Pride and is able to keep Palm Springs Pride free for all participants who want to attend in our valley,” Powell explains.

Gran also highlights deHarte’s commitment to women’s issues, noting the influence of his mother and four sisters in his life.

“He’s very much a feminist,” says Gran.

DeHarte will be sworn in during a mostly ceremonial meeting Thursday evening at City Hall, replacing outgoing Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein in the one-year term. Aside from Middleton, Councilmember Christy Holstege will also be leaving her seat on the council. They will be replaced with newly-elected councilmembers David Ready (District 5) and Naomi Soto (District 4).

“Ron is prepared to take on that mantle,” says Middleton. “I expect him to be a very strong spokesperson for Palm Springs and for the full city council.”

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