The Escambia County Commission candidates are gearing up for the Republican and Democrat primaries.
The District 1 Republican primary has incumbent Wilson Robertson, who has raised $56K to-date, against challenger Jesse Casey who has raised $21,209. In the last reporting period that ended Dec. 31, Robertson raised $4,550 and Casey $3,120. Both Robertson and Casey have met the petition requirement to run for the seat.
There is no Democrat primary in District 1 or 5, but District 3-the seat held by Marie Young, who has announced her retirement-will have a Democrat primary. Lumon May is the top fundraiser with $31,018. His $9,468 in the last three months tops the fundraising efforts of all county commission candidates, Republican or Democrat, in any race. May is challenged in the Democrat primary by Annie Thomas-Walker ($790 last qtr/$1,090 year-to-date) and Jewel Cannada-Wynn ($708 last qtr/$705 year-to-date). Lumon May is the only candidate in the race to have met the petition requirement to run for the office.
In the District 5 race, challenger Sam Archer shows cash receipts of $81,850 ($6,150 in the last qtr) to incumbent Kevin White’s $9,625 ($4,675 last qtr) and fellow political newcomer Jim Taylor’s $8,049 ($1,949 last qtr). Archer is following the Rick Scott campaign formula (who spent $70 million of his own money to get elected Florida’s governor) and has loaned his campaign $74,000 (more than the commissioner’s annual salary of $73,351). White has not met the petition requirement to run for his seat.