For all of the contemporary potentialities that first-time political candidates dropped at the desk, the winners of Tuesday’s main election confirmed that, for probably the most half, institution politics nonetheless win the day in Brevard County.
Nowhere was that clearer than within the two County Fee races, dominated Tuesday by two well-connected Brevard political insiders: Former State Rep. Tom Goodson in District 2 and Rob Feltner in District 4, a political advisor who has helped elect a few of Brevard’s prime politicians.
Each males will trip the assist of get together leaders, distinguished elected officers and a deep properly of native lobbyists and particular pursuits into the November election.
Extra:Rob Feltner takes Brevard County Commission District 4 race in overwhelming victory
“Tom Goodson is aware of the county and is aware of the folks and we’re honored to have him operating,” Rick Lacey, chair of the Brevard Republican Govt Committee, stated after the outcomes have been in Tuesday night time. “Rob Feltner had a four-way race and ran a really efficient marketing campaign and received large tonight.”
Each are nearly assured to hold the final election, particularly Feltner, whose title shall be on the one one to seem on the poll for the District 4 seat.
Feltner will face write-in “ghost” candidate Joseph Michael Aiello, whose final minute entry into the race sparked controversy when he admitted to FLORIDA TODAY he did not plan to marketing campaign for the seat and solely entered the race to shut the first, shutting out Democrats and independents from voting in Tuesday’s D4 election.
There was heavy hypothesis Feltner was concerned with the transfer after textual content messages shared with FLORIDA TODAY confirmed sitting Commissioner Curt Smith — who vacates the District 4 seat in November because of time period limits — was recruiting a write-in candidate so as to learn Feltner simply earlier than the June qualifying deadline. Feltner, who denied he had any half within the effort, helped run Smith’s first marketing campaign in 2014.
Goodson, in the meantime, will face Dontavius Smith, a non-party affiliated candidate largely unknown to Brevard voters who is anticipated to supply little problem to the favored four-term Florida Home member.
Tuesday’s outcomes weren’t shut, with the election largely determined as soon as the early voting and mail-in poll outcomes have been revealed early within the night.
Extra:Former State Rep. Tom Goodson wins Brevard County District 2 Republican primary
Not like Feltner, who received overwhelmingly within the D4 race, Goodson solely garnered 6,000 votes, about 42% of the whole vote depend. Nearly 60% of District 2 voters who solid their ballots voted in opposition to him for different candidates. However with a crowded area, 42% was sufficient for Goodson to take the prize.
Goodson’s subsequent closest rival, former Cocoa Seaside Mayor Dave Netterstrom, took about 3,500 votes. Chris Hattaway, the Cocoa police officer who drew headlines final month when he was one in every of three candidates to lodge allegations of election interference in opposition to Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, got here in an in depth third with about 3,100 votes.
However whereas Goodson’s victory was ample, Feltner’s was complete and devastating to his rivals. By the point the votes have been all counted, Feltner took, 7,700 votes. about 55%. The second-place winner, first-time candidate Sandra Sullivan, earned 3,100 voters for about 23% of District 4 Republican voters. Brevard actual property developer David Armstrong made a robust remaining push to come back in slightly below Sullivan at 19% with about 2,700 votes.
The time period of workplace for a county commissioner is 4 years, and the place pays $58,145.36 a 12 months.
Goodson’s and Feltner’s politics are largely in keeping with the three Commissioners nonetheless sitting on the board, and are very near Sheriff Ivey, assuring its priorities will stay largely unchanged after November.
Election put sheriff’s endorsement to the check amid scandal
Their victories Tuesday relied closely on the struggle chests they’d constructed from their very own pocketbooks and people of supporters, and on the myriad endorsements they obtained from distinguished Brevard leaders, together with Ivey.
It appeared for a quick second as if Ivey’s sometimes potent endorsement would possibly change into extra of a legal responsibility for Goodson, Feltner and others on the sheriff’s slate of candidates final month, after Ivey turned embroiled in election interference allegations.
Three native candidates stated the sheriff had supplied to land them political jobs or high-level appointments in the event that they agreed to drop out of their races, a transfer that might have benefited Ivey’s endorsed candidates.
Goodson was pulled into the radius of the controversy after Hattaway and District 2 Faculty Board candidate Shawn Overdorf (who was eradicated Tuesday night time from a run-off election for the seat in November) stated Ivey supplied them jobs working in Goodson’s future fee workplace value as much as $50,000 or extra a 12 months.
Goodson has stated he had no information or involvement with the alleged provides, and didn’t give Ivey permission to make job provides on his behalf.
Kimberly Musselman, a revered assistant state legal professional who will face Ivey-backed Renee Torpy in a November run-off for county court docket choose, stated the sheriff had made her the same proposal, providing to assist her get elected or appointed State Legal professional for the 18th Judicial Circuit if she additionally agreed to drop out.
Ultimately, Goodson and Feltner proved the endurance of the favored sheriff’s assist, at the least for now, after closely that includes Ivey’s endorsement in a run of political adverts within the remaining weeks earlier than the main.
Extra:Judge candidate says Ivey offered to help secure appointment if she dropped out of race
Goodson wins
Goodson particularly used Ivey’s endorsement to nice impact. A string of Goodson’s marketing campaign mailers featured at the least one {photograph} of Ivey, with one such advert focusing solely on the sheriff’s assist.
He used the endorsement to spotlight his assist for regulation enforcement, one in every of his central marketing campaign planks alongside the economic system, low taxes and restoration of the Indian River Lagoon, in line with an announcement he offered to FLORIDA TODAY.
The previous state consultant spent nearly $60,000, about two-thirds of his whole spending, on mailers this election cycle. The majority of Goodson’s $150,000 marketing campaign fund got here from $65,000 in loans to himself.
“Thanks to the voters of District 2 and to everybody who labored so exhausting on our marketing campaign,” Goodson stated. “I deeply admire your assist, and stay up for the final election in November.”
District 2 contains Avon by the Sea, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Seaside, Kennedy House Heart, Port Canaveral and Comfortable Harbor, in addition to most Merritt Island, and parts of Cocoa, Rockledge and Patrick Air Power Base.
Feltner for the win
Feltner self-funded a lot of his personal $200,000 struggle chest, spending almost $90,000, not together with a $28,000 cost from his now defunct electioneering communications group to the Voter Curiosity Group ECO in February final 12 months.
A few of that cash got here again final week within the type of an assault mailer in opposition to opponent Dave Armstrong, paid for by Voters Response, one other ECO which recorded $32,000 in contributions from the Voter Curiosity Group simply earlier than the adverts have been despatched out.
Voter Curiosity Group and Voters Response are each registered to David Ramba, a prolific Tallahassee lobbyist.
Extra:Primary concern: Could Feltner’s ties to non-conservatives like Jennifer Jenkins haunt him?
“We’re very completely satisfied tonight,” Feltner stated Tuesday. “I tremendously admire all of the individuals who volunteered on my marketing campaign. And I’m grateful to all of the folks of the district who voted for me at this time.”
His second-place rival, Sandra Sullivan, stated Wednesday she was “inspired” by the outcomes of the election, even when she did not win.
“I made lots of people conscious of points, significantly of affect charges and the way their taxes are going to extend. That can proceed to be the battle and I’ll proceed to go to the conferences and maintain the commissioners’ toes to the hearth,” she stated.
Feltner, who ran on most of the similar messages as Goodson, touted endorsements he acquired not solely from Ivey but additionally from sitting members of the county fee, equivalent to Smith and Commissioner Rita Pritchett.
Like Goodson, he stated he would champion the lagoon and performed up the assist he had from regulation enforcement officers. His largest priorities will embrace infrastructure, equivalent to bettering roads and lowering visitors congestion, and the county finances amid inflation considerations.
Ralph Chapoco is authorities and politics watchdog reporter. You possibly can attain Chapoco at rchapoco@floridatoday.com and comply with him on Twitter @rchapoco.
Eric Rogers is a watchdog reporter for FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Rogers at 321-242-3717 or esrogers@floridatoday.com. Comply with him on Twitter: @EricRogersFT.
