This week’s issue reports on the Escambia County Commission District 4 race where Democrat Myra Van Hoose faces Republican incumbent Robert Bender. Van Hoose has spent $39,676 of the $49,365 that she has raised, according to Escambiavotes.com. Bender, who last had to face a challenger in the GOP primary, has spent $25,698 of the $72,400 that he has raised.
Jeremy Morrison covered the race for us. He found that Van Hoose’s campaign is focusing on the 401(a) retirement plan that the Escambia Clerk Pam Childers has refused to write checks for since January. She told Morrison, “I think that the dollar amount is irresponsible. To be a commissioner and say, ‘It’s not illegal as far as I know, so I’ll take it, even though it’s too much,’ it’s clear that greed and self-enrichment are the motivating force instead of putting the best interest of the community forward.”
Bender points out Van Hoose’s party affiliation in a district in which Democrats make up less than 30% of the voters. He said, “It just talks a little bit to our beliefs and how we view the government and maybe where we are on certain issues.”
Both candidates rebutted the statements. The article will go live at 11 a.m. on Inweekly.net. Tomorrow I will interview both candidates on WCOA.