District 2 Commissioner Kerry Smith has badly mistreated a multitude of citizens, some of whom say he’s failed keep his 2022 “Roads Before Development” campaign promise and that Hwy. 90 traffic woes have worsened. Now Smith finds himself facing those same constituents, asking them to rehire him to the $94,046 job of representing them four more years.
Candidates are reading the room, sensing Smith will be gone after angry voters show up to elect new leadership during the August 18 primary. As a result, so far 7 candidates have applied for the position by pre-filing to run.
Here’s the current list of D2 candidates, all Republicans, and their campaign totals to date:
• Ates IV, Jeff $7,675
• Hosterman, Brian WITHDRAWN FROM RACE
• Johnmeyer, Renee $3,670
• Nisewonger, Erin $998.50
• Pittman, R.C. $2,300
• Rinaldi, Michael $0 (just entered race Apr 9)
• Smith, Kerry $8,300
• Snow, Jeff $15,595.47
First, candidates must qualify by mid-June either by petitions, which are due next month, or by paying a hefty qualifying fee before ballots start getting mailed in July. Early voting starts August 3.
Since GOP voters remain the supermajority in Santa Rosa, the Republican primary winner historically wins the race – even if there are write-in candidates or candidates from other parties, forcing it to November’s General Election ballot.
With Smith likely to be replaced, eyes are turning toward who could be our next D2 Commissioner.
I believe Jeff Ates and Jeff Snow are presently the top contenders. Personal opinion, of course, but here’s why…
Four years ago, Ates ran a race for D2 that was so tight a recount was required. The difference now is how much support Smith has lost:
- After approving development on congested Woodbine Road in Pace, former Sheriff Wendell Hall and many Pace residents decided to fight Smith’s re-election;
- Smith removed Bagdad native Capt. Pasco Gibson from the Marine Advisory Committee, replacing the popular Republican with Democrat Shana Alford. In that one fell swoop, Smith alienated himself from the Bagdad-Garcon Point and fishing communities along with the die-hard Republican crowd;
- Smith supported taking money allocated toward a future Navarre Beach Bridge effort and putting a toll back on the existing Navarre Beach Bridge;
- When Smith approved a 90-unit townhome project on Hwy. 87, he lost support in Holley (although FDOT ultimately rejected that development due to ingress/egress issues);
- The list of areas in which Smith has lost support goes on and on…
As for Jeff Snow, he’s a polished, articulate and knowledgeable former Milton City Councilman, who was the first candidate to get up signage. He also still has over $15K in his war chest.
The others candidates do not have much name recognition and don’t seem to be raising enough money to change that, although some really hard work could help with that.
One candidate in particular, R.C. Pittman, has a bad temper, and violent criminal record – like Smith. We don’t need either of them in the seat.
At the end of the day, it’s nice to see so many candidates step up, wanting to do a better job than Kerry Smith has been able to do in his years in that seat.
We will start profiling the candidates but may wait until they qualify, considering one has already withdrawn from the race.
May the best qualified candidate win!
