By Times Staff
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Thousands of voters declared their choice for who they want to represent them at the local, state and federal level.
Here's a look at the results of some primary races around the Tampa Bay area.
Longtime Republican operative Richard Corcoran won a tight race for a seat in House District 45, which covers North Pinellas County and south Pasco County. Corcoran faced businessman Fabian Calvo and Pasco School Board member Kathryn Starkey for the seat being vacated by Rep. Tom Anderson. Corcoran, a lawyer who had twice run unsuccessfully for state office, took about 45 percent of the vote in Pasco and 40 percent in Pinellas.
In Pinellas, 10-year incumbent Susan Latvala got a chance to hold on to her County Commission seat. Latvala won the three-way primary against Republicans Carl Folkman, a wine and spirits broker, and Beverley Billiris, the former mayor of Tarpon Springs, with 44 percent of the vote. Billiris got 30 percent, Folkman 26 percent. Latvala now faces Democrat Bob Hackworth in November.
In the Pinellas School Board elections, at-large District 3 incumbent Peggy O'Shea beat retired teacher Greg Hunsinger 61 percent to 39 percent. Incumbent Linda Lerner beat Largo Middle School teacher Brian Hawley 60 percent to 40 percent in District 6. Retired teacher Terry B. Krassner beat math-science coach Fonda Huff with 69 percent of the votes cast for the at-large District 2 spot.
In District 7, retired school district administrator Lew Williams and retired psychology professor Jim Jackson are headed for a runoff. Williams got 39 percent of the vote and Jackson got 33 percent in a three-way race that also included lawyer Keisha Bell, who took home 27 percent. Williams and Jackson are running to replace retiring board member Mary Brown.