As the August 14th primary nears, WFSU-FM will be giving you a chance to hear directly from the candidates on our live call-in program, Perspectives. The series of shows will run Tuesdays and Thursday from July 9th through July 31th. Here’s a complete list of the shows and their guests:
Tuesday, July 10th: Leon County Sheriff:
About this race: Sheriff Larry Campbell was first elected as Sheriff in 1996 and re-elected in subsequent races. He’s going for his fifth term in office. But there’s a move afoot to unseat him. This race features familiar challenger Tommy Mills, who has challenged Campbell in the past. Campbell and Mills will face off in the Democratic Primary. The winner will face Lisa Sprague in the general election.
Larry Campbell (incumbent, Democrat)
Lisa Sprague, No Party Affiliation
Tommy Mills, Democrat
Thursday, July 12: Leon County Clerk of Court
About this race: Clerk of Court BobInzer drew a last-minute challenge from former clerk of court employee Cynthia Turner. Turner has filed a federal whistleblower lawsuit against Inzer alleging race and age discrimination. The Clerk of Court denies the allegations.
Bob Inzer (incumbent)
Cynthia Turner
Tuesday July 17th: Leon County Commission at-Large Seat 1
About this race: County Commissioner Akin Akinyemi is running for a second term and has drawn three challengers, including former school board member Fred Varn, and former Tallahassee Democrat columnist Mary Ann Lindley. Also in the race is Emily Fritz, who is involved in several community organizations such as Friends of the LeRoy Collins Public Library.
Akin Akinyemi (incumbent)
Fred Varn
Emily Fritz
Mary Ann Lindley
Thursday, July 19th: Leon County Commission District 2
About this race: County Commissioner Jane Sauls will face Kirk-Headley Perdue and write-in candidate Harrison Arencibian. Perdue ran as a Republican in 2010 against Democratic State Representative Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda. Arencibia, the write-in candidate, won’t appear on the ballot.
Jane Sauls (incumbent)
Kirk Headley Perdue
Harrison Arencibian
Tuesday, July 24: Tallahassee City Commission Seat 1
About this race: Current Commissioner Mark Mustian is retiring, leaving his seat wide open, and several people have jumped into the race to fill it. This race features former Planning Commissioner Daniel Parker, recent High school graduate and Capitol Outlook writer Delaitre Hollinger, Tallahassee businessman Steve Stewart -- who also challenged Mayor John Marks in 2010, former mayor Scott Maddox—who ran for state Agriculture Commissioner in 2010, retired teacher and former President of the Council of Neighborhood Associations President Bob Fulford, and energy consultant Eric Friall. All will square off in the August primary. If no one gets about 50-percent of the vote, the top two will head to the general election in November.
Daniel Parker
Delaitre Hollinger
Steve Stewart
Eric Friall
Bob Fulford
Scott Maddox
Thursday, July 26th: Tallahassee City Commission Seat 2
About this race: In 2003 Andrew Gillum became the youngest person elected to the Tallahassee City Commission. In 2010 he threw in a bid to head the Florida Democratic Party. Local sales consultant Nicolas Halley is vying for Gillum’s seat. Halley says he wants to break up the list of the same names running every year for different positions. Also in the race is self-described freelance political consultant Jacob Eaton, and David Riddle, a 30-year resident of Tallahassee who is retired from the Federal Bureau of prisons.
Andrew Gillum (incumbent)
Nicolas Halley
Jacob Eaton
David Riddle
TBD: Leon County Superintendent of Schools
About this race: Superintendent Jackie Pons was first elected to the post in 2006. For the first time since his election, he’s drawing a challenger in longtime teacher Sabrina M. Allen. There’s been a recent shakeup in the school district’s administration. Both sides claim the other is trying to sabotage their campaign.
Jackie Pons (incumbent)
Sabrina M. Allen