By Barbara Behrendt, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Republican Ron Schultz, 71, left, was challenged by Jimmie T. Smith, 44, for the District 43 state House seat.
With his only public service experience coming from his time in the Army, Jimmie T. Smith compares his victory in the race for the District 43 state House seat with his previous job as a paratrooper.
Poised in the open door of the airplane, he said, "we were supposed to take a leap into the unknown, land and take charge."
That's what he intends to do in Tallahassee.
Smith, 44, of Inverness, pulled off an upset in Tuesday's primary over longtime elected official Ron Schultz of Homosassa, who spent 27 years as property appraiser in Pinellas and Citrus counties and then three years as a state representative.
Smith edged Schultz by less than a percentage point — 415 votes of 31,027 cast — in the district composed primarily of Citrus County, with portions of Hernando and Levy counties. Because there were no Democratic candidates for the seat, all registered voters were able to cast ballots, and Tuesday's election decided the race.
In 14 previous contested races, Schultz, 71, had lost only twice. Explaining Tuesday's defeat, he called the tea party movement, to which Smith belongs, "fascinating" and noted that "the Republican establishment in (Citrus) county has become quite fractured."
He said he believes his loss was likely a combination of getting caught in a contentious local issue involving control of a local hospital, statewide rejection of Republican incumbents and the universal primary.
While some of the issues dear to Schultz, such as his environmental protection work, might have ordinarily appealed to Democrats, this year, "among the Democrats it was the throw the incumbents out attitude," Schultz said.
Citrus County voters on Tuesday voted out several incumbents.
Twenty-year county Commissioner Gary Bartell, one-term Commissioner John Thrumston and two-term School Board member Lou Miele all fell to political newcomers.
For Schultz, the loss means more time to do property appraisal consulting and more time with his family and for travel, something his wife, Diann, was clapping about already.
As for his time in Tallahassee, Schultz said, "I had fun, so I have no complaints about the experience."
Smith said that he believes that his platform, based on lower taxes and reduced spending, resonated with voters.
"That's the core of what most people think," he said.
A security guard for Progress Energy, Smith said he was excited about what lies ahead and looked forward to getting started.
"I do feel I can step up and represent this district," he said.
Barbara Behrendt can be reached at behrendt@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1434.