Charlotte County voters can meet candidates vying for local office during the three-hour Political Hob Nob event at 4 p.m. at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center, 75 Taylor St. in Punta Gorda.
A number of incumbents are being challenged this year, and they have received contributions that far exceed their challengers’ war chests, according to July 16 data from the county’s Supervisor of Elections.
The primary election is Aug. 20. Mail-in ballots were sent out, according to the Supervisor of Elections office.
Bill Prummell
Sheriff Bill Prummell, a Republican, is being challenged by Republican businessman Ryan Barber. Prummell, who has been with the sheriff’s office for 31 years, including 11 as sheriff, has contributions totaling $117,831, while Barber has $14,017 in contributions.
Supervisor of Elections Leah Valenti, a Republican, will face off against write-in candidate Sean Christian Halligan and Republican David E. Kalin Jr. Valenti has contributions totaling $50,687, while Kalin has $13,845 and Halligan received no contributions.
Two of the incumbents on the Board of Charlotte County Commissioners, Republican Bill Truex, owner of Truex Preferred Construction, and Republican Joe Tiseo are facing challenges. Truex was first elected to the board in 2012, and Tiseo began serving in 2016.
Republican Hal Daniels, an accountant, is running against Truex for the District 3 seat. His contributions totaled $3,865 against Truex’s $64,550.46.
Tiseo, who opened a construction company where he built and operated retail stores for more than 30 years, is being challenged in District 5 by small business owner David Kesselring, a Republican, and Realtor Khari S. Nixon, a write-in candidate.
Tiseo’s contributions total $27,985, Kesselring’s are $1,370.06 and Nixon has no contributions.
Commissioner Ken Doherty is running unopposed for his District 1 seat, as two candidates running against him, Republican Kathleen Y. Futch and Democrat Sue Hill, did not qualify. At last count, Doherty’s contributions totaled $27,225.46.
In the city of Punta Gorda, all three incumbents, Mayor Lynne Matthews, Vice Mayor Bill Dryburgh and Council member Donna Peterman, face challengers.
Janis Denton will face Matthews in District 4, Greg Julian takes on Dryburgh in District 2, and Jeannine Polk, who previously served as Council member Dr. Debi Lux’s campaign manager, is vying for Peterman’s seat.
Unlike the county’s Supervisor of Elections website, Punta Gorda does not update contributions in real time. The financial reports can be viewed by clicking here.
Many county officials, in addition to Doherty, are running unopposed, yet contributions have come rolling in.
Clerk of the Circuit Court Roger Eaton, a Republican, has contributions of $106,295, Property Appraiser Paul L. Polk, a Republican, also unopposed, has contributions totaling $5,000, and Tax Collector Vickie L. Potts garnered $10,100.
Two of the county School Board’s seats are up for grabs this coming election, but one incumbent, Wendy M. Atkinson, is running unopposed, as challenger Paul Haber withdrew his candidacy.
Atkinson’s contributions totaled $2,010.
Incumbent Bob Segur, who has served on the school board since 2012, is running against Karina M. Schmitt, an outspoken critic of the school district. Segur’s contributions total $26,560, and Schmitt has $2,828 in contributions.
Incumbent Kim Amontree, who first ran for school board in 2016, faces Leonardo Pires Trent, a senior at Charlotte High School and critic of the school district. To date, Amontree has amassed $88,400 in contributions and Trent has $3,689.
