Election 2026
Remembering a GOP Legend
In the 1990s, Dr. Frank Biasco was my go-to source for election predictions. He said he could call about six people from around the county and know who would win local races. Biasco’s predictions were rarely wrong.
Who? He taught psychology at the University of West Florida. He served on the Escambia County School Board, where he donated his salary. He chaired the Escambia County Soil and Water Commission, the Republican Committee of the First Congressional District, and was a delegate to the 2000 GOP National Convention.
- Biasco encouraged people to run for office and write letters to the editor. He often sat on the front row at Escambia County Commission meetings and wrote viewpoints in the PNJ. He even had a weekly program called Pensacola Viewpoint that ran 7-8 p.m. on Tuesdays on WUWF.
At Inweekly, we reached out to him often during our first two years. He passed away on Nov. 5, 2001, at the age of 73.
Last night, I tried to follow Biasco’s example and made a dozen, not six, calls, not to predict winners but to find out what people will be watching for in today’s primary.
What to Watch
- Do Byron Donalds and D.C. Reeves receive over 50% of the votes cast in the governor’s and mayoral races?
- Can Mike Kohler win a second term?
- Will Kevin Adams and Paul Fetsko pay for abusing their power to return the school superintendent to an elected position after only six years as appointed?
Byron Donalds
Donalds has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, raised over $100 million and has a 35-point lead over his nearest competitor, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins. However, if he fails to get more than half the votes, Donalds may be vulnerable to stiffer competition in the general election.
D.C. Reeves
Reeves won the mayoral election in his first primary in 2022 and didn’t have to face a runoff. Now he has a record to run on, and as the PNJ has written, the primary is a mandate on his performance during his first term.
- Over the weekend, his people shared they think he will top out at 48% of the vote. However, Reeves was more confident yesterday as he took the day off from campaigning. He expects a last-minute push (RPOF?) will put him at 51% to 52% of the vote.
Anything below 45% makes Reeves appear vulnerable in November.
Mike Kohler
Incumbent District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler has been outspoken, challenging State Rep. Michelle Salzman, County Clerk Pam Childers and Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger. His opponent, Glenn Dorsey, has tried to use that against him. The social media attacks have been vicious, and a political forum in Warrington almost ended with supporters brawling.
- Kohler has outspent Dorsey, $52,266 to $35,686, and appears to have a better ground game.
School Board
Few people inside the City of Pensacola are happy with how Kevin Adams, Paul Fetsko and Tom Harrell rigged the School Superintendent Referendum to nearly ensure the district returns to an elected superintendent. The trio unfairly worded the referendum so that a “yes” vote changes it to elected and had the vote in the primary, instead of the general election, knowing that fewer people would vote.
Adams and Fetsko face challengers in their open primaries. Will they pay for their actions?
They don’t seem to think so. Adams and Fetsko spent just $8,304 and $2,074 on their campaigns.
Unique Election Night Coverage
We are always looking for new, innovative ways to bring you news. Today, Rick’s Blog can be your front-row seat to all the local results!
Join us live on Instagram at 7 p.m. as we break down the primary results. We will also have reports from the campaign parties of Byron Donalds and David Jolly.
Head over to @routzen on Instagram and tap that follow button so you don’t miss when we go live!