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Commission Incumbents Victorious

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By KEVIN WIATROWSKI

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 27, 2008

County Commissioner Ted Schrader of San Antonio held off challenger John Nicolette on Tuesday in a closely watched Republican primary marked by low voter turnout.

With most of the county's 154 precincts reporting, Schrader claimed victory in the District 1 seat on the Board of County Commissioners.

"We're so happy that things turned out the way they did," said Schrader, who faced strong opposition from Nicolette.

Nicolette thanked his supporters, many of them Tampa firefighters like him.

"I'm humbled," Nicolette said. "The voters have spoken."

Nicolette did not rule out another run for the commission seat.

Schrader must defeat write-in candidate John Taylor of San Antonio in November to hold his east Pasco commission seat for a third term.

Taylor's name won't appear on November's ballot.

"In this particular case, it's really a nonissue," Schrader said of Taylor's opposition. "But we'll have to do some campaigning and get our message out."

Taylor's write-in candidacy closed what would have been a primary open to all voters.

The district had no Democratic primary.

In District 3, incumbent Ann Hildebrand will attempt a self-imposed seventh and final term representing southwest Pasco. Hildebrand defeated Matt Matey, a former construction worker, and community activist Wil Nickerson in the Republican race.

Hildebrand credited her victory, in part, to her lengthy service on the commission and the public visibility that brings.

Hildebrand will face Democrat Teresa Conroy in November. Conroy received double the vote of her primary opponent, Nicholas Planck.

Conroy thanked her supporters in a written statement.

"And I want to thank them in advance for all the hard work that we face going into November's election," Conroy said in her statement.

Republican voters gave District 5 incumbent Commissioner Jack Mariano another chance to represent northwest Pasco. Mariano defeated challenger Rich Jenkins in the Republican primary.

Mariano will face Democrat Ginny Miller in November.

Mariano, who lives in Hudson, spent much of Tuesday outside the Lexington Oaks polling place, which has more than 5,000 registered voters.

Mariano said he chose to spend much of his day at Lexington Oaks because it was there that he fulfilled one of his campaign pledges from his first term by getting the development's main road paved.

Mariano could not be reached for comment.

In the Republican primary for clerk of court, Paula O'Neil, the chief deputy clerk, defeated former New Port Richey Mayor Dan Tipton by more than 50 percent.

She will face Democrat Robert Altman in November in the race to succeed retiring Jed Pittman.

Reporter Kevin Wiatrowski can be reached at (813) 948-4201 or kwiatrowski@tampatrib.com.

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