Although I am not politically connected I try to stay informed about the local politics especially as it applies to Perdido Key. I was not surprised to see this morning that the results of the primary turned out several incumbents.
Here are a brief few paragraphs lifted from the Pensacola News Journal:
Wilson Robertson trampled District 1 Escambia County Commissioner Mike Whitehead in Tuesday's Republican primary election. He won with 4,744 votes to Whitehead's 1,126.
"I really didn't expect it to be that big of a margin. It was the runoff I didn't have four years ago," Robertson said after hearing the results at his campaign headquarters near Ellyson Field. "I feel like I have been vindicated now from that."
Four years ago, Robertson lost his comeback bid to Whitehead by 43 votes, and he vowed not to let it happen again. Robertson faces Democrat Stephen M. Davidson in the Nov. 4 general election. The winner will serve a four-year term and earn an annual salary of $74,188.
There is going to be a new sheriff in Escambia County.
David Morgan, 55, who owns a private-investigations firm, upset incumbent Sheriff Ron McNesby in Tuesday's Republican primary. Morgan received 13,550 votes to McNesby's 10,343 votes.
Morgan will go on to face Larry Scapecchi, a retired Escambia County Sheriff's Office lieutenant, in the Nov. 4 general election.
Although Dave Murzin was re-elected to the FL legislature 2 other incumbents in Escambia were replaced by new faces for a total of 4. The voters were few unfortunately with only 1 in 4 eligible voters casting a ballot but it was conventional wisdom that the electorate was not happy with the status quo. Slowly but surely they are turning against the "good ole boy" network so common in local politics. In short the people of the Pensacola area are pretty disgusted with government as usual. Gene Valentino's election a few years back was a precursor to what many expect to be a complete reshaping of the political landscape. The Pensacola Young Professionals have had a very successful membership drive and are a force to be reckoned with. Although they don't endorse candidates they do command appearances at YPY events and ask the tough questions. They also get out the vote in that demographic and so are a catalyst for change.
There are great expectations for the water front development downtown Pensacola and the delays and insider haggling has exacerbated the growing dissatisfaction with the way public business is handled around here. Perdido residents and residents in general on the west side are just about finished with business as usual. They have been the brunt of bad government for some time and thus the election of Gene due greatly to the voters of the west side. The upcoming general election should be very interesting if these latest results are any indication.
