Changes in store on Gulf County commission

Gulf County will have a noticeable change in its elected leadership beginning this fall as two incumbent county commissioners were ousted in the Tuesday, Aug. 20 universal primary contests by a pair of newcomers.

In District 1, Chris “Spike” McLemore defeated incumbent David Rich. McLemore tallied 676 votes, or 58.7 percent, to Rich’s 475 votes, or 41.3 percent.

In District 3, Randy Pridgeon defeated incumbent Patrick Farrell by a slightly greater margin. Pridgeon amassed 634 votes, or 60.3 percent, to Farrell’s 417, or 39.7 percent.

In District 2, incumbent Jack Husband, who was vying for his first elected term after being appointed by Gov. Ron Desantis, easily defeated his two challengers George “Buddy” Cooper and John Murnan. Husband received 657 votes, or more than 68 percent, with Cooper attracting 239 votes, 24.8 percent. Murnan got 66 votes, or 6.9 percent.

Pridgeon, 61, a retired assistant superintendent with the Leon County Schools, will become the oldest member on the board.

“It’s going to be hard work, and I’m ready to go,” he said. “I’m retired and I’m going to make it a full time job.

“I was very pleased the message that I have had from day one resonated well through my community,” said Pridgeon, whose district encompasses St. Joe Beach, Gulf Aire, Highland View, White City and Howard Creek.

He said his message of “planning, preserving and protecting” was welcomed by locals, who he said voiced a desire to have a greater say in local government. “That was exactly what our population wants.”

Pridgeon was outspent about 3-to-1 by his opponent, who gathered about $19,575 in campaign contributions compared to Pridgeon’s $5,782.

“The people in Gulf County were ready for a change and I was the person that went out there and spoke to them about change and they put their confidence in me to do that,” he said.

Pridgeon said that in addition to having relatives on both ends of Gulf County, his family has a rich history in Franklin County, as his grandmother was from the Yent family, and lived in Carrabelle in the Page House, one of the oldest homes in the city. Her sister, Addie Byrd was one of the first teachers in Carrabelle.

He said he recalls being called out by his middle school buddies in Leon County when he showed up in a pair of green Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars sneakers that had been given him by his grandmother, a big fan of the Carrabelle Green Devils, the team name, and preferred gym shoe, at the time

Among Pridgeon’s priorities will be to strive for a working partnership with Franklin County, and is tossing around the idea of attending a county commission meeting there before his swearing-in in November, to introduce himself.

“It’s very obvious we need to work together on things,” he said. “There’s a lot of things we can partner with.”

Among his ideas is to work towards a fire academy at the Gulf-Franklin Campus, perhaps funded by Triumph money, that would handle training of much-needed volunteer firefighters throughout the two counties. He also plans to learn more about the Apalachicola Regional Airport, which he said has become a popular airport for pilots who reside on the Cape.

Within Gulf County, Pridgeon said he plans to address infrastructure issues, a subject that he stressed throughout his campaign cannot be separated from the huge growth in residential and commercial development the county is experiencing.

“We need to look at what others have done. There are models that have worked for other communities,” he said. “We are growing because people want to come here because of our small town environment. What’s our plan for that? What does that look like in five years?

“Our infrastructure is not where it needs to be,” he said. “We have to have infrastructure for emergency services; we’ve got to do a better job of that.”

Husband, who will now represent District 2 for a full four-year term, said he was appreciative of the show of support shown in the election results.

“The voters have shown their confidence in me and I am grateful and humbled,” he said. “I have worked hard this last year after my appointment to improve the lives of the citizens in District 2, but I have more to do. This next term will allow me to continue to follow through with the long-term plans, the ideas of the citizens, and mediate solutions to their problems and concerns. I love this county and want every resident to be proud of Gulf County. 

“I work for the citizens every day, not just on meeting days or special meetings,” Husband said. “As I met with and talked with residents over the past months, I have given every person my phone number and email. I have made myself available, seven days a week. Call, text or email me anytime. I work for you!”

McLemore, who raised about $4,170 compared to his opponent’s $14,975, was on hand at the supervisor of elections’ office, watching the returns with his wife April, daughter Danielle and father Carmen.

“I’m excited, I’m glad the people gave me an opportunity to work for them, thank you,” said the soon-to-be sworn-in commissioner for District 1.

“The bottom line is to work for the people,” McLemore said. “There’s not a set four or five things, that I want to do this or that I want to do that. It’s to help the county, to be a voice for the people.”

The McLemores had spent the entire day, beginning at 5:45 a.m. at the polling place in Honeyville, before traveling to the supervisor’s office just before the close of voting.

McLemore’s dad was elated after seeing the final vote tallies posted on a giant television. 

“I’m 72 years old. I did 16 years as a county commissioner and never got beat, four terms, and then I got a son to come along behind me and win 58 percent?” said Carmen McLemore. “I’m happy as hell.

“It does reflect on me, I think I had a lot to do with it in helping it,” he said. “But he worked, we all worked. It wasn’t given to us; we had to work for it, but we’re used to working.

“You’re looking at one happy joker right here. I got me a mixed drink and I’m going to get drunk,” he said, breaking out in a big belly laugh.

Turnout throughout the county had been a little better than 43 percent, about 41 percent among Democrats and 50 percent among Republicans, which is understandable given that all but the tax collector’s race was a universal primary in which the candidates were all members of the GOP.

It was a closed Republican primary for the tax collector’s race. Ashley Lister Forehand defeated Gail Alsobrook, as she drew 2,248 votes, better than 74 percent, while Alsobrook received 847 votes, or about 26 percent. 

Forehand now heads to the general election in November, where she’ll face a Democratic opponent Candye Lewis.

“I appreciate everyone coming out and voting for me,” said Forehand. “I have a couple more hard months before I go against Candye. I have a lot of work to put in.”

Lewis goes into the November election having raised a little more than $14,000, compared to Forehand’s roughly $12,500. Alsobrook raised close to $10,000 in her election bid.

In the non-partisan race for school board in District 4, Heather Jones and Equillar “Gal” Gainer each got 36% of the vote, well ahead of the two others, incumbent Marvin Davis, who received nearly 17 percent of the ballots, and Charles Gathers, who got a little more than 11 percent. Jones and Gainer will face each other in the November election.

“The people spoke and I respect their decision but I’m not going anywhere,” said Davis, who continues to be an active volunteer, including tutoring in Wewahitchka.

“I’m still going to be there to support the schools, the students and this community when it comes to education,” he said.

Davis stopped short of endorsing either candidate for the fall, although he is an uncle to Gainer. 

“I respect them and I will work with both of them,” he said. “I’m not going to endorse either one of them at this time.”

In the race for sheriff, incumbent Mike Harrison easily defeated challenger Vince Everett. Harrison received 3,394 votes, or nearly 71.7 percent, with Everett getting 1,340 votes, 28.3 percent.

By overwhelming margins, Gulf County Republicans gave their blessing to incumbent Rick Scott for U.S. senator; and to incumbent Neal Dunn for U.S. representative; and Democrats backed Debbie Murcasel-Powell for U.S. senator, and Daryl Parks for state senator. 

In a universal primary, incumbent Larry Basford was a clear choice over challenger Eric Garmon.