Commissioner James Calkins saw his power grab fall apart in the Santa Rosa County primary yesterday. He not only lost his race, but his attempt to get in his spouse on the school board and kick Colten Wright off the county commission failed.
On “Real News with Rick Outzen” this morning, Commissioner Wright discussed the stack of attack mailers that Calkins’s PAC, America First Alliance.
“I think one word sums it up and it’s just gross,” Wright. “It was just a sickening display of just nasty, dirty, filthy politics and egos and power plays. But I’m glad that the citizens saw through much of the chaos and the lies and the barrage of attacks, and I think for the most part, the good guys won.”
He added, “And I’m really excited about moving forward and restoring just some honor and decency amongst the board and bring back some professionalism again.”
James Calkins came dead last in his GOP primary.
| District 3 | ||
| James Calkins | 7,751 | 27.93% |
| Jerry Couey | 7,942 | 28.62% |
| Rhett Rowell | 12,056 | 43.45% |
| 27,749 |
His wife failed to win a school board, also coming in third in the three-person race.
| School Board D2 | ||
| Marlya Calkins | 7,377 | 24.90% |
| Elizabeth Hewey | 10,708 | 31.79% |
| Oscar Locklin | 15,595 | 46.30% |
| 33,680 |
The troubled former deputy that he ran against (Mike Priest) failed to beat Commissioner Colten Wright.
| District 5 | ||
| Mike Priest | 11,454 | 43.40% |
| Colten Wright | 14,935 | 56.60% |
| 26,389 |
