It was a momentous and informative day at the Trinkle Center on Aug. 9 as residents had the opportunity to meet candidates running for local offices and hear their case as to why each should be elected to office, on Aug. 9.
The facility had rows of booths set up with candidates waiting to speak with voters.
CIRCUIT COURT:
Florida is divided into 20 judicial circuits and those running are non-partisan – no affiliation to a political party.
If a candidate does not receive 50% plus one on the primary ballot, the Top 2 candidates will move on to the general election.
Candidates running for the following circuit court seats are:
1. 13th Circuit Court Judge Group 6
Belinda Noah
Wesley Tibbals
2. 13th Circuit Court Judge Group 37
Nancy L. Jacobs
Jared Smith
3. 13th Circuit Court Judge Group 14
Melissa Black
Alicia Whiting Bozich
Linette “Starr” Brookins
Mike Isaak
U.S. REPRESENTATIVES:
The population of each state determines the number of congressional members each of the 50 states elects.
Florida currently has 28 congressmen and women.
U.S. House District 15 is made up of Plant City, Brandon, Lakeland, and as far north as Minneola.
There are five democrats and five republicans running for the seat with no incumbent.
The candidates for U.S. House
District 15 are:
Gavin Brown (D)
Alan Cohn (D)
Eddie Geller (D)
Cesar Ramirez (D)
William VanHorn (D)
Demetries Grimes (R)
Laurel Lee (R)
Kevin McGovern (R)
Kelli Stargel (R)
Jackie Toledo (R)
Gellar is a former comedian who is running for the seat for the first time.
“I’ve been doing activism for the last decade and essentially after Jan. 6…seeing what’s happening to our country, seeing an insurrection on our capitol, made me realize our politics are so toxic,” he said. “People need to stand up for democracy.”
He noted a woman’s right to choose, universal healthcare, and fighting climate change as part of his top agenda.
Stargel has a history serving in both the State Senate and the State House of Representatives. She has spent her time in office trying to prevent abortion by supporting the Unborn Victims of Violence Bill, the Parental Consent Bill, and the 15-Week Abortion Ban. Stargel said she plans to continue with that effort as well as helping to balance the state’s budget.
“The State of Florida, I’m proud to say, has over $20 billion in savings,” she said. “As far as today, what I hear most about is the economy. I think people are very frustrated. They’re very afraid of what the future’s going to look like.”
Those running in the governor’s race are:
Ron DeSantis (R)
Hector Roos (L)
Carmen Gimenez (NPA)
Jodi Jeloudov (NPA)
Piotr Blass (NPA)
Kyle Gibson (NPA)
James Thompson (NPA)
Charlie Crist (D)
Cadance Daniel (D)
Nikki Fried (D)
Robert Willis (D)
The Republican primary election was canceled, advancing incumbent Ron DeSantis as the sole member of the party to head to the general election.
COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES:
The Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulates and promotes the agricultural industry. The office also protects consumers from price gouging and credit card scammers.
The commissioner is a state office and the fourth member of the Florida cabinet.
The candidates for this seat are:
Naomi Blemur (D)
Jacques Rene Gaillot, Jr. (D)
Ryan Morales (D)
James Shaw (R)
Wilton Simpson (R)
ATTORNEY GENERAL:
Ashley Moody is the incumbent who holds the seat as attorney general and has advanced passed the Republican primary, and will run against:
Aramis Ayala (D)
Jim Lewis (D)
Daniel Uhlfelder (D)
STATE SENATORS:
There are 40 State Senators in Florida and there is a race for Florida Senate District 23.
Both the Democratic and Republican primaries have been canceled respectively advancing Republican Senator Danny Burgess of District 23 to the general election to run against Democrat Michael Harvey.
STATE REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 68:
There are 120 members in the Florida House of Representatives, and District 68 oversees Plant City, Dover, Lithia and surrounding communities.
Lorissa Wright is the sole Democrat and in the general election, will run against either:
Lawrence McClure (R)
Paul Hatfield (R)
STATE REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 69:
Florida House of Representatives District 69 includes Valrico, Dover, and other parts of the Greater Plant City area.
Andrew Learned is the sole contestant in the Democratic Party and will move on to the general election to face either:
Danny Alvarez (R)
Megan Petty (R)
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS:
The Hillsborough County charter creates seven commission positions and the county is divided into four commission districts, plus three more commissioners that serve countywide. District 4 represents Eastern Hillsborough County and moves into the general election with Republican candidates Noelle Licor and Michael Owen on the ballot.
“I want to make sure that infrastructure is keeping up with development because that’s not what’s been going on,” Noelle Licor said. “Basically, the county is digging the hole deeper with infrastructure with every rezoning that’s approved and permit that’s used.”
Addressing the need for more county schools, fire stations and fixing low water pressure are also on her agenda.
District 5 is a countywide seat that will go straight to the general election with Democrat Mariella Smith and Republican Donna Cameron Cepeda. Smith is the incumbent trying to hold on to her seat, and stay focused on the agenda she set out for.
“My first term has been very satisfying,” she said. “I was a community advocate for 20 years before I ran for office, working on community plans, environmental protection, taking groups of citizens to the county commission to talk about issues that impact our quality of life, our transportation, our environment.”
District 7 is also a countywide seat and Kimberly Overman will be running as the only Democrat and in the general election will face:
Chase Harrison (R)
Joshua Wostal (R)
SCHOOL BOARD:
The school board in Hillsborough County is divided into five districts, with two additional countywide districts.
The school board positions are non-partisan. A candidate must receive 50% plus one of the votes on the primary ballot, and the Top 2 will go into the general election.
The candidates for Hillsborough County Public Schools Board of Education District 4 are:
Hunter Gambrell
Patricia Rendon
Danielle Smalley
The running for School Board District 5 are:
Roshaun Gendrett
Joe Kelly
Alysha Legge
Louis D’Autorio
Karen Perez
There was also an opportunity to turn in a ballot for the Plant City Straw Poll.
The winners for the mentioned seats are:
Governor – Ron DeSantis
Attorney General – Ashley Moody
Chief Financial Officer – Jimmy Patronis
Commissioner of Agriculture – Wilton Simpson
State Senator District 23 – Danny Burgess
County Court Judge Group 14 – Melissa Black
School Board Member District 4 – Patricia Rendon
School Board Member District 6 – Alysha Legge
Soil and Water Conservation District 2 – Ryan Gill
Soil and Water Conservation District 3 – Adam Young
U.S. Representative for District 15 – Laurel Lee
State Representative District 68 – Lawrence McClure
State Representative District 69 – Daniel Alvarez
State Representative District 70 – Mike Beltran
Board of County Commissioners District 4 – Michael Owen
Board of County Commissioners District 5 – Donna Cameron Cepeda
Board of County Commissioners District 7 – Joshua Wostal
Circuit Judge 13th Judicial Circuit Group 6 – Wesley Tibbals
Circuit Judge 13th Judicial Circuit Group 37 – Jared Smith