Election guide 2018

Posted

Anastasia Mosquito Control District- Seat 2

Jeanne Moeller

Submitted by the candidate

According to Jeanne Moeller, Mosquito Control is not about politics. It’s not Democratic or Republican; it’s about the improvement of people’s lives, she said. It’s a public health issue. It’s about protecting residents from mosquito diseases, she continued. According to Moeller, St. Johns County has been free from local borne disease since 2003.

Since 2007, Moeller has advocated for increased public education, safer chemical use and scientific research to both improve day-to-day operations that will continue to achieve the AMCD mission. Her goal is for every resident to enjoy the outdoors and to be able to watch their children’s athletics games without the irritation of biting mosquitoes.

At a time when experience and dedication are the most important attributes, she believes that people yearn for an elected official who is real and willing to speak their mind and to do what they think is right. Moeller said she has been that elected official and would appreciate your vote on or before Nov 6.

 

Karen Cornwell

Submitted by the candidate

In a time of high population growth and the close proximity of mosquitos carrying potentially lethal disease, Karen Cornwell believes it is time for Anastasia Mosquito Control to get back to basics. 

She has been focused on the basics of running a business since she was a young girl. Her family business at Russ’s Chevron on Anastasia Island taught her the importance of listening, communicating clearly with customers and the need to watch every dime to make sure the business thrived. Continuing this family business at Cornwell’s Market for twenty years, Cornwell was involved with every facet of operations and being transparent and working together was key to achieving results.

When her family sold the business, Cornwell opened Karen’s Condo Cleaning in 2014 and had a successful small business. Her focus on understanding the bottom line and being transparent with the public began very early. Honesty and trust were the bedrock of her education on how to get things done the right way. Public communication and involvement are very important to her.

To be effective as a board, according to Cornwell, a focus on getting back to basics is the only way. When she is on the board, she said she will not be in Europe or China learning about mosquitos. She will be out in the field and learning about local problems. She will be talking to people in all neighborhoods to make sure the board is responsive to every part of St Johns County.

The Board’s operations are sound, but Cornwell believes much more can be done in public outreach, with tighter and more public budget reviews and via better transparency. More could also be done and should be done, she said, to augment spraying with natural methods of mosquito control. 

Cornwell is not a politician and only recently gave her first speech. A vote for her is a vote for an enthusiastic and knowledgeable advocate on the board. She will be focused on the mission of killing mosquitos and keeping the community safe from mosquito-borne illnesses. 

 

Cornwell was raised in Saint Augustine, graduated from St. Augustine High School and is passionate about both the town and the work of the Anastasia Mosquito Control District.   


Merrill Paul Roland

Merrill Paul Roland is listed as a candidate in this race; however, he declined the Recorder’s offer to have his bio/headshot displayed in this guide.

 

Anastasia Mosquito Control District- Seat 4

Catherine Brandhorst

Catherine Brandhorst is running for re-election to her third term as commissioner of the Anastasia Mosquito Control District. 

Since being elected in 2010, Brandhorst has served as chair of the Finance Committee. According to Brandhorst, it was her insistence on a $2,000,000 emergency fund that gave the board the ability to provide immediate and aggressive response to Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. 

Before she retired, Brandhorst owned two pest control companies over a period of 25 years. Combined with eight years with Anastasia Mosquito Control District, she has a total of 33 years of experience. While in business, Brandhorst held a pest control operators license, or a PCO, which covers everything a mosquito applicators license does, plus covering all household pets, interior and exterior. Brandhorst provided service to customers in the U.S. and Canada. During her career, she worked with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in developing the NOP (National Organic Program), which is responsible for the application of pesticides from farm to fork. 

Brandhorst is nationally recognized and published. She is a certified HACCP trainer and has taught classes at Anastasia Mosquito Control District. She is responsible for eliminating Fyfanon from the approved chemical list, even though it is still approved by the EPA. She has worked to introduce more environmentally safe chemicals to the inventory and encouraged the research team to look for natural pesticides.

 

In 1995, Brandhorst moved to St. Augustine, where her children attended school. She has been an active volunteer, helping raise money for the skate park at Treaty Park, serving as president of the Home Owners Utilities, president of the St. Augustine Little League and president of St. Johns Youth Sports. As president of St. Augustine Little League, she was instrumental in donating 25 acres to St. Johns County to expand its youth sports program. Brandhorst is also a member of Turning Point at Calvary Church.

Peter M. Miele

Submitted by the candidate

Peter M. Miele has lived in Florida for 50 years and in St. Johns County for 21. He been married to his wife for 47 years and has been blessed with two daughters, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, all living in St. Johns County.

Miele knows the impact mosquitos have on all residents who live in this climate.

His concern for the impact of mosquitos led him to work for Anastasia Mosquito Control seasonally after his retirement from a more than 30-year career at Publix. From there, his scientific, problem-solving, customer service mind went to work on how the community can safely and better control the mosquito population. He went on to become a certified trainer for the Integrated Mosquito Control Curriculum and a licensed State of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Public Health applicator.

According to Miele, there is a need for the election of someone who is educated and passionate about effective and timely Mosquito Control for all of St. Johns County. He reminds voters that this position covers all of St. Johns County and is non-partisan.

Miele promises to be dedicated to the community and for solutions to safely reduce the mosquito population in St. Johns County for the health and wellbeing of all of families, so that everyone may better enjoy the outdoors.

For more information, visit www.petermiele.com.

Trish Becker

Submitted by the candidate

As a mother and pet owner, mosquito safety is of utmost importance to Trish Becker. She pledges to always put the health of St. Johns County residents and the environment first. She is running for the nonpartisan Seat 4 that covers all of St. Johns County.

Becker said she will bring fresh ideas and a dedication to always do what is right for families. She wants children and pets to be able to play outside without getting bit by mosquitoes or breathing in harmful chemicals. She wants to make sure the board can allocate funds to continue preventing outbreaks and research more environmentally friendly ways in doing so. Becker wants to help keep the way of life the community is accustomed too, one free from viruses like Zika or West Nile.

Becker said she has the board experience, management training and drive to make sure the county has the best district in the state. She has knocked on thousands of doors since January, attended every board meeting since December and is ready to work for you.  

 

Attorney General

Ashley Moody

Republican

Submitted by the candidate

Ashley Moody is a fifth-generation Floridian and was born and raised in Plant City, Florida. She attended the University of Florida, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting, and Juris Doctor. She later attended Stetson University College of Law, earning a Master of Laws in international law.

She began her legal career with Holland & Knight, where she practiced commercial litigation. While at Holland & Knight, she was named one of Tampa Bay’s “40 under 40” distinguished lawyers for her professional and civic contributions. Moody subsequently joined the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuting drug, firearm and fraud offenses. While a federal prosecutor, Moody was commended by the DEA for prosecutorial excellence and outstanding initiative in drug law enforcement.

In 2006, at the age of 31, Moody became the youngest judge in Florida when she was elected circuit court judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County. Moody served as a circuit court judge for over a decade and, during that time, founded the Attorney Ad Litem program, recruiting volunteer attorneys to stand in the place of parents who did not appear in court with their children, and developed a mentoring program for at-risk children within the juvenile delinquency system.

Moody also served as an adjunct professor at Stetson University College of Law during her time on the bench. In 2015, Moody was awarded the Florida Supreme Court’s Distinguished Judicial Service Award for her significant contributions to pro bono legal service.

 

Moody lives with her husband, Justin, a federal law enforcement agent, in Tampa, Florida with their two sons, Brandon and Connor. For more information, visit https://www.electashleymoody.com/

 

Jeffrey Marc Siskind

No party affiliation

From www.votesiskindag.com

 

Jeffrey Marc Siskind graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in 1982 and a master's degree in 1983. He has served as an attorney with Siskind Legal since 1997 and has been a Florida resident since 2001. Siskind believes electing a non-partisan candidate to serve as Florida’s attorney general will lead to decision-making unfettered by party politics. Siskind defines the attorney general position as the people’s ultimate lawyer, paid for by tax dollars and charged with supporting law enforcement and public servants, protecting victim and consumer rights, senior citizens and the environment, prosecuting hate crimes, bad corporate behavior, corruption and fraud, while helping improve the function of other state agencies. He believes in the woman's right to choose and the rights of the LGBT community. Siskind also believes attorney generals should constantly strive to improve the system by closely coordinating with practicing attorneys, bar associations and other civic organizations. For more information, visit www.votesiskindag.com.

    

 

Sean Shaw

Democrat

Submitted by the candidate

Raised in North Florida, Rep. Sean Shaw was taught the importance of public service from a young age by his father, Leander Shaw, the first African-American chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. During law school at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Shaw clerked for a United States District Court judge focusing on constitutional law and the protection of civil rights.

After law school, Shaw worked in private practice representing workers, families and small businesses during some of their most trying times. As Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate, Shaw was an insurance industry watchdog protecting consumers against abuses from insurers. He led the process of negotiating lower rates for homeowners, pushed for faster response times from insurers after emergencies and ensured rates were fair and justified.

He currently represents State House District 61 in Tampa, where he has fought for more funding for public education, for criminal justice reforms and for common sense gun safety legislation to make communities safer.

For more information, visit https://seanshaw.com/.

Chief Financial Officer

Jeremy Ring

Democrat

Submitted by the candidate

In 1996, when he was 25 years old, Jeremy Ring opened the first East Coast office of the internet company Yahoo out of his apartment in New York City.

Over the course of the next five years, he worked with his friends to build Yahoo from a small start-up into a multi-billion-dollar venture. Their goal was to change the world by modernizing the way people accessed information. In the process, Yahoo created thousands of jobs and gave birth to an entirely new sector of the American economy anchored in innovation and technology.

When he moved to Florida to raise his family, Ring brought this vision and experience along with him. After being elected to the Florida Senate in 2006, he worked over the course of the next 10 years to craft bipartisan legislation aimed at planting the seeds of an innovation ecosystem in the Sunshine State. Ring started by securing investment capital for the ideas developed within Florida’s public university system. He then ensured that these ideas were given the opportunity to grow into marketable products and technologies by creating pathways for commercialization and establishing funds for later-stage investment.

As a direct result of the programs Jeremy worked to design and then promote among his colleagues in the legislature, more than 60 tech start-ups based in Florida have made their way from our state’s “innovation incubators” to the broader market. Among Ring’s proudest achievements as a public servant has been the establishment and expansion of The Florida Growth Fund, which invests in homegrown Florida companies. The fund has allowed small businesses across the state — and Florida’s economy as a whole — to expand, diversify and mature. It currently has over $750 million of capital under management.

Ring wants to continue this mission through continued investment and smart leadership.

Jimmy Patronis

Republican

From

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is a fourth-generation Floridian, born and raised in Panama City. He and wife Katie are proud parents to two sons, Theo (10) and Johnny (7). Patronis is a partner in Capt. Anderson’s, his family’s historic seafood restaurant in Panama City Beach, which has served generations of locals and Florida visitors.

Patronis' public service career began with internships in the Florida Senate and the United Kingdom’s House of Commons. Following his college graduation, Patronis was appointed to the Florida Elections Commission and he was later re-appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush. Patronis represented Northwest Florida for eight years in the Florida House of Representatives. He was appointed to serve on Florida’s Public Service Commission, as well as the Constitution Revision Commission, which meets once every 20 years to propose changes to the state constitution.

While serving the community, Patronis has chaired the Greater Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Council, served on the board of the Bay County Economic Development Alliance, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Bay County Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and as national president for the Florida Vocational Industrial Clubs of America. He is a former trustee of the Gulf Coast Medical Center and former director of the Bay Medical Center’s Foundation and Gulf Coast Community College Foundation Board. Patronis was instrumental in the establishment of the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City, which serves nearly 1 million passengers per year.

Patronis earned his associate degree in restaurant management from Gulf Coast Community College and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Florida State University. For more information, visit www.joinjimmy.com.

 

Circuit Judge 7th Circuit Group 15

Linda L. Gaustad

Submitted by the candidate

Linda L. Gaustad believes residents deserve a judge with integrity, experience, knowledge and common sense to make potential life altering decisions. Dedication, hard work, time management, patience, commitment and efficiency are abilities she says she has perfected operating a law practice and practicing law.

Gaustad has worked one-on-one with clients over the years providing individual personalized representation. An advantage of operating a law practice, she said, has been representing individuals and businesses in the community in a wide range of practice areas. For the last 18 years, Gaustad has represented thousands of residents in the community.

Her courtroom experience includes the District Court of Appeals (criminal, civil and family); Circuit Court (criminal felony, juvenile, dependency, civil, probate and family); County Court (criminal misdemeanor, civil and small claim); administrative court (civil and traffic); and Federal Court (bankruptcy, Social Security appeals and immigration).

Gaustad is passionate about the law. She promises to have your full attention, and to be fair and impartial and apply the law to the individual facts of each case.

For more information on Gaustad, visit https://www.lindaforjudge.org/

 

 

Ryan Will

Submitted by the candidate

For more than a decade, Ryan Will has served the people of his community and worked to improve residents’ quality of life. As a senior member of the State Attorney’s Office, Will has successfully prosecuted the most dangerous criminals in society. A lawyer since 2005, Will is responsible for the prosecution of murder cases in the 7th Circuit. He has traveled the community handling hundreds of high profile cases and representing thousands of innocent victims. 

According to Will, a depth of legal experience and commitment to the community distinguish him in this race. These qualities, he said, have earned him support from other attorneys, law enforcement and members the community. 

Natives of Volusia County, Will and his wife, Bryn, are invested in the community and committed to its future. Bryn is a kindergarten teacher in the public school system; Will frequently lectures at the police academy, local universities and high schools. He serves on the boards of numerous charities and nonprofit organizations, including Stewart Marchman Act Foundation, Teen Court and Rotary. Will and his wife are raising three young children and are active in youth athletics.

Will takes pride in his community and fights to keep neighborhoods safe. In 2013, he established Florida’s first Playground to Prevent Neighborhood Sex Predators and used available laws to stop sexual predators from establishing residence. Since then, Will has consulted with citizens and developers to create nearly a dozen other neighborhoods that ensure the protection of our children. Soon, according to Will, the entire area west of I-95 in Daytona Beach will be closed to the relocation efforts of these dangerous criminals.

In addition to his work at the State Attorney’s Office, Will has experience in civil, family, probate and juvenile affairs.  For more information, visit https://www.electryanwill.com/.

 

Commissioner of Agriculture

Matt Caldwell

Republican

From http://votecaldwell.org/

Matt Caldwell is a seventh-generation Florida native whose family has a long history of being farmers, small business owners, ministers and doctors.

He was born in Gainesville but grew up in Lee County where he eventually met his wife, Yvonne. They live in North Fort Myers, where Yvonne serves as a teacher and they raise their daughter, Ava.

After attending local schools in Lee County, Caldwell received his associate degree from Edison College and his Bachelor of Arts in history from Florida Gulf Coast University. He then began his career as a real estate appraiser with Maxwell, Hendry & Simmons in Fort Myers. He has attained the highest state certification in his field and is qualified as an expert witness in multiple states and federal court.

Caldwell’s desire to serve his community took him to Tallahassee when he was first elected to the Florida House in 2010. He has served on several committees during his tenure, including transportation, tax policy, redistricting, insurance, banking and local government & federal government affairs. He has chaired subcommittees and committees related to agriculture and natural resources. He currently chairs the Government Accountability Committee, which oversees subcommittees regarding natural resources and public lands, transportation and infrastructure, local, federal and military issues, and oversight of government operations, such as pensions & elections.

 

For more information on Caldwell, visit http://votecaldwell.org/

 

Nicole ‘Nikki’ Fried

Democrat

Submitted by the candidate

Nicole “Nikki” Fried was born and raised in South Florida and graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and a law degree. At UF, she served as student body president, the first woman to hold the position in nearly two decades prior.

Fried worked for the Alachua County Public Defender’s office after law school, where she was the head of the Felony Division. In private practice, Fried defended homeowners against foreclosure during the 2007-2008 housing crisis, fighting big banks to keep families from evictions.

As an advocate, Fried has fought for access to medical marijuana, Broward County Public Schools and funding for foster children with special needs.

Fried lives in Fort Lauderdale.

 

For more information on Fried, visit https://nikkifried.com/

 

County Commissioner District 4

Jeremiah Blocker

Republican

Submitted by the candidate

Jeremiah Blocker was born and raised in Ocala, Florida. He comes from a family of public servants, as all four of his brothers are combat veterans in the U.S. military.

He is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he obtained a degree in history and commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Army ROTC program.

In the military, Blocker served as an Army officer for over 13 years, both on active duty and in the reserves. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Blocker commanded a military police company in combat operations.  Blocker continues his military service in the Air Force Reserves as a judge advocate general officer with the rank of major. Awards Blocker has received include the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge.

 

Blocker graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law. He has also earned graduate degrees in land use and business entrepreneurship.

 

John C “Jack” Gorman

No Party Affiliation

Submitted by the candidate

John C “Jack” Gorman is a merchant mariner, U.S.C.G. Licensed Master. He is a "hawsepiper," having obtained his licensure through self-study, finally obtaining the credentials that are awarded a four-year Merchant Marine Academy graduate. He has seen millions of miles at sea, affording much time to reflect on "the way things are."

Captain Gorman was on the St. Johns County Airport Authority Board for eight years — a position with design and development responsibilities. He was elected treasurer for a term. During his tenure, the St. Johns County Airport was taken off the tax rolls of St. Johns County. Also during this period, the Airport received a National Award for Excellence in Environmental Design. To further enhance the Airport’s independence from requiring tax revenue to operate, the board of directors and the airport director initiated commercial airline service flights available to the residents of St. Johns County.

The son of a Navy pilot and an elementary school teacher, Gorman has stated he is acutely aware of the critical necessity of education excellence.

He arrived by vessel in 1972, and finding St. Augustine a wonderful and unique place, has made it home since then. The preservation of the beauty and unique quality of the area has been a lifelong goal. He has proven leadership ability and seeks the county commissioner post to further this goal.

 

Visit johncjackgorman.com for more information. 

 

Fifth District Court of Appeal

Eric Eisnaugle

From http://www.5dca.org/index5.shtml

Note: Voters will be asked if Judge Eric J. Eisnaugle should be retained for office.

Judge Eric J. Eisnaugle was appointed to the court in 2017 by Gov. Rick Scott to fill a vacancy created by the elevation of now Justice C. Alan Lawson. Eisnaugle is a Florida native who is married with four children. 

Prior to joining the court, Eisnaugle served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2008 through 2012, and again from 2014 until his appointment.  While in the Florida House, he served as chairman of the Civil Justice Subcommittee and as vice chairman of the Rules and Calendar Committee. He also served as a member of numerous other committees including the Judiciary Committee and the Judicial Appropriations Subcommittee.

While in private practice, Eisnaugle received an AV Preeminent rating on Martindale Hubbell and litigated a wide variety of commercial matters in Florida’s trial courts. In his appellate practice, he handled commercial and liability cases before Florida’s appellate courts. He also served as a volunteer guardian ad litem representing children in Orange County, and received the Orange County Legal Aid Society’s New Attorney Award of Excellence in 2010.

 

Eisnaugle graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2003 with honors as a member of the Order of the Coif. During law school, he served on the board of the Journal of Transnational Law and as a member of Vanderbilt’s National Moot Court Team. Eisnaugle graduated summa cum laude from Florida Southern College in 2000 where he majored in business administration and economics.

 

Florida Supreme Court Justice

Alan Lawson

Submitted by the candidate

Note: Voters will be asked if Justice Alan Lawson of the Supreme Court of Florida should be retained in office.

Justice Alan Lawson has served in the Supreme Court of Florida since 2016; as chief judge in the Fifth District Court of Appeal from 2006 to 2016; as a judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit from 2002 to 2005; as assistant county attorney in Orange County from 1997 to 2001; as general counsel for Verses Wear, Inc. in 1996; and as associate and partner of Steel Hector & Davis in Miami and Tallahassee from 1987 to 1995.

He currently serves on the Budget Oversight Committee, Trial Court Budget Commission; Standing Committee on Fairness & Diversity; Code & Rules of Evidence Committee; Probate Rules Committee; and Space Planning Committee. His past bar and extrajudicial offices and activities include serving as chair of the Florida District Court of Appeal Budget Commission from 2013 to 2016 and a member of the Appellate Court Technology Committee from 2008 to 2016, among several others.

Lawson holds degrees with highest honors from Florida State University, Clemson University and Tallahassee Community College. He has received a Martindale-Hubbell "A.V." attorney rating, a Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency Outstanding Jurist Award in 2005, a University Graduate Award and Fellowship from Florida State University, Book Awards in Evidence and Legal History from Florida State University and a Hartzog Award and Scholarship from Clemson University.

Lawson has participated in a number of civic activities, including his role as volunteer and board member at House of Hope. He has also served as a member of the Orthodox Church of St. Stephen and the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. His volunteer experience includes time spent with Hope for Honduras and the Surgical and Medical Assistance Relief Teams.

 

A Lakeland native, Lawson was born in 1961. He and wife Julie have two children.

 

Governor

Andrew Gillum

Democrat

Running Mate: Chris King

From www.andrewgillum.com

Andrew Gillum was born in Miami where his mother drove a school bus and his father was a construction worker. After being the first in his family to graduate from college, the Miami native went on to become the youngest person in history to be elected to the Tallahassee City Commission, before later becoming mayor. He has in total contributed 15 years of public service.

As mayor, Gillum developed the local economy, fought the gun lobby in court to promote reform and defended the rights of immigrants. Under his leadership, Tallahassee advanced workforce training programs for underrepresented workers as one of only 50 cities in the nation included in President Obama’s TechHire program. Gillum also helped lower violent crime in the City by more than 8 percent through increased investments in law enforcement, community policing, re-entry programs and an expansion of social service funding.

Gillum is running for governor to rebuild the state's economy, revitalize public education, protect and expand healthcare access and address the climate change crisis with a clean energy economy.

 

For more information, visit www.andrewgillum.com.

 

Bruce Stanley

No Party Affiliation

Lt. Governor: Ryan Howard McJury

From www.brucestanley.com

Bruce Stanley is a 16-year resident of Florida who says he has witnessed the side effects of unaffordable property values, the loss of options resulting from overdevelopment and the impact of the economic crisis. Stanley is a self-employed business owner of 11 years; a three-year Miami-Dade Green Party officer, co-chair and secretary; a steering committee member of Miami Climate Alliance; a political advocacy coordinator for ReThink Energy South Florida; and a winner of the Miami New Times' "Best Film Festival of 2016" for producing "Rise up Miami: A 2-Day Raidcal Film Fest." 

The campaign he is most proud of working was to stop the development of a Walmart Supercenter in Midtown Miami, adjacent to the Wynwood Arts district. Stanley helped contribute video content and attended and livestreamed several hearings on the issue at Miami City Hall.

 

Stanley views the state of Florida as a system and a project. He hopes to make the state sustainable for its existing residents over the long-term. For more information, visit www.brucestanley.com

 

Darcy G. Richardson

Reform Party

Running Mate: Nancy Argenziano

A 25-year resident of Jacksonville, Darcy G. Richardson believes it’s time to end the hyper-partisanship and needless polarization of American politics. He wants to bring a genuine independent voice to Tallahassee that speaks for everyone in the Sunshine State, rich and poor alike.

In addition to having more than 15 years of experience working in the financial services industry, Richardson is the author of more than a dozen books on American history and politics. His work earned an Outstanding Academic Title (OAT) award in 2005 and was highlighted in Newsweek magazine’s July 2010 issue.

In addition to managing one of Minnesota Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy’s campaigns and serving as a senior advisor in another, Richardson ran for Pennsylvania auditor general in 1980 and for the U.S. Senate eight years later on the Consumer Party ticket.

In 2012, he offered himself as a protest candidate in several Democratic presidential primaries, briefly challenging Wall Street’s influence on the Democratic Party and the nation’s body politic.

 

Richardson has appeared as guest on numerous nationally-syndicated radio talk shows, ranging from the progressive “Thom Hartmann Show” to Joseph Farah’s conservative “WorldNetDaily Radioactive” program. His writings are included in the collections of the Bill Clinton presidential library at the University of Arkansas, the Gerald R. Ford Library and the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

 

Kyle “KC" Gibson

No Party Affiliation

Lt. Governor: Ellen Wilds

From www.kcin2018.com            

Kyle “KC” Gibson was born in Tallahassee on Dec. 21, 1969, to George and Joan Gibson, two music educators in the Florida school system.

During a class field trip to Florida's Capitol in 1978, Gibson had a chance to meet and speak with the late Gov. Reubin O’Donovan Askew. It was at that moment that Gibson knew he wanted to serve as Florida's governor one day. Several years later, as a student at Florida Atlantic University, Gibson had a chance to take a class taught by the former governor where he shared his childhood encounter some 20 years earlier. Shortly after filing his intent to run, Gibson had yet another chance to speak with Gov. Askew. After graduation, Gibson followed in the footsteps of his parents and served as an educator in Broward and Indian River counties.

In 1998, Kyle answered his call to the ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church where he eventually earned the Master of Divinity from Turner Theological Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. He has served congregations in Georgia and Florida as the senior pastor since 2001.

On Jan. 1, 2000, Gibson married Tamara, his soul mate, at a watch night service. Tamara is a Registered Nurse and shares in Gibson’s vision for a healthy Florida.

 

That vision includes civil rights restoration, job creation for Florida and investing in the future of the state’s youth, among other goals. Visit https://www.kcin2018.com/ for more information. 

 

Ron DeSantis

Republican

Running Mate: Jeanette Nuñez

From https://rondesantis.com/

Ron DeSantis is the former U.S. representative for Florida’s Sixth District who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump.

While in Congress, DeSantis has led efforts to impose term limits cut taxes, repeal ObamaCare, relocate America's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, assist veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, prevent American tax dollars from being sent to Iran, combat radical Islamic terrorism, stop illegal immigration and defund sanctuary cities.         

A native Floridian with blue-collar roots, DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he graduated with honors and was the captain of the varsity baseball team. He also graduated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, DeSantis earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG officer. During his active-duty service, he supported operations at the terrorist detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and deployed to Iraq as an adviser to a U.S. Navy SEAL commander in support of the SEAL mission in Fallujah, Ramadi, and the rest of Al Anbar province. His military decorations include the Bronze Star medal for meritorious service and the Iraq Campaign Medal. He has also served as a federal and military prosecutor.

DeSantis is married to his wife, Casey, an Emmy Award-winning television host. They have a daughter, Madison, and son, Mason.

 

For more information, visit https://rondesantis.com/

 

Note: Ryan Christopher Foley (Lt. Gov. John Tutton Jr.) is a No Party Affiliation candidate running for governor of Florida. He has not responded to the Recorder, and no information could be found about his candidacy online.

 

 St. Johns County Airport Authority- Group 2

Justin Mirgeaux

Submitted by the candidate

Justin Mirgeaux has lived in the Ponte Vedra/ Jacksonville area for 10 years. Prior to relocating here, Mirgeaux served as a U.S. Marine. He began his career as an enlisted infantryman, then finishing as an officer and an aviator. Mirgeaux is an Iraq war veteran and is the recipient of multiple Air Medals with a combat distinguishing device.

Upon leaving the Marines, Mirgeaux joined the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The next four years at FDIC, he saw firsthand what the global financial crisis did to banks and homeowners in this area. Mirgeaux was personally involved in nearly two dozen financial institution receivership operations. While at the FDIC, he was personally awarded the Chairman’s Excellence Award in 2010 and the James R. McFadyen Award for Bravery, Courage, and Heroism in 2011. Leaving the FDIC in 2013, he joined Deutsche Bank, specializing in finance, credit, risk and data management.  

Mirgeaux is married to Susan E. Sharp Mirgeaux, esq., and they have two children who are both enrolled in St. Johns County public schools. Mirgeaux holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida. Learn more at www.justinmirgeaux.com

 

 

Victor J. Raymos

Submitted by the candidate

Victor J. Raymos is the current member of the Airport Authority, Group 2, and he is running for re-election to that seat. He is a member of the Northeast Florida Regional Airport Master Plan Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the St Augustine Pilots Association.

Raymos is the association executive and CEO for the St Augustine & St Johns County Board of Realtors® and Multiple Listing Service. He has served in the community as the chair of the St Johns County Chamber of Commerce as well as a current member and past chair of the Economic Development Council for the Chamber. He also serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for the Chamber of Commerce. 

Raymos currently serves on the St Johns County Housing Finance Authority. He is a member of the Regional Economic Information Network for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Jacksonville Branch. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the American Legion. 

 

Raymos wants to continue to keep the Airport Authority off the tax roll by maintaining a 0.0000 millage rate. He wants to continue to be a conservative steward of the Airport Authority’s finances and physical assets. He wants to be the spokesperson for the users of the airport and the members of the public.

 

St. Johns County Airport Authority- Group 3

Bruce Maguire

Submitted by the candidate

Bruce Maguire is a North Florida native whose family has been involved in the timber business, primarily in St. Johns County. Maguire and his wife Virginia have two children, Chris and Sarah.

Maguire received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Florida. He served as a St. Johns County commissioner representing Ponte Vedra Beach from 2002 to 2006 (chairman in 2004-2005); a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization from 2002 to 2006 (vice chairman in 2005-2006); a member of the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Association from 2002 to 2006 (chair of Transportation Committee in 2006); and a member of the Florida 2010-2020 Transportation Planning Commission in 2006.  

Maguire, a retired lieutenant colonel and fighter pilot, also served in the Air Force in the United Kingdom, Germany, at the Pentagon and at the Air Force’s Air War College.

As for community service, Maguire has served on the Salvation Army Advisory Board since 1995 (chairman from 1996 to 2004). He is a Rotarian and has also worked with Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Elks, the Navy League, the UF Alumni Association and many other organizations.

 

As a current Airport Board member, Maguire has two major agendas: to successfully keep the airport off tax rolls and ensure the airport actively supports both the business and residential communities in the county. According to Maguire, general aviation enhancements have improved airport safety and security for private pilots and businesses. Under Maguire's leadership, the board's efforts have elevated airport finances, operational status and community status.

 

Carl Youman

Submitted by the candidate

Carl Youman, 79, is a retired CSX transportation officer and current entrepreneur with CCRC-Rail Logistics. His primary business is directing rail logistics for Emmert International, shipping extra large, heavy or wide transformers, generators and other large units on railroads in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The secondary function of his business is managing a fleet of rail cars designed to carry units weighing up to 1 million pounds.

His community service includes being a member of the Airport Authority and North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). He has been a member of the board for the Airport Authority for eight years and has continued to improve and expand the airport assets. Most of all, he has maintained his campaign promises from 2008 to 2016.

His goals for his term in office include keeping the Airport off the tax rolls and continuing to be “the taxpayers’ representative;” supporting Northrop Grumman; utilizing the airport land holdings to bring in businesses that provide good-paying jobs for residents; supporting Via Airline service and supporting the effort to secure service to a major hub; supporting the private pilots and businesses at the airport; working to be good neighbors with citizens close to the airport; and maintaining his independent position with an outsider viewpoint.

 

A resident of Ponte Vedra Beach, Youman has been married for 54 years to Connie Shaffer Youman. They have two sons, Alan and Carl; two grandsons, AJ and Zach; and a great-grandson, Matthew. 

 

State Representative District 17

Cyndi Stevenson

Republican

Submitted by the candidate

Cyndi Stevenson is a Florida native and more than 30-year resident of Northeast Florida. She is a graduate of Stetson University and a CPA. She was elected in April 2015 as state representative for Florida House District 17. In her session as a state representative, she voted to reduce state taxes by over $400 million and passed legislation to prevent children from abuse and neglect, prevent insurance fraud and reduce regulatory burdens on small businesses.

She secured funding to help rebuild beaches from the impacts of Hurricanes Matthew and Irma and defended schools from an influx of students from other counties with an amendment to the School Choice Bill. To improve public safety, she supported a three-day waiting period for all gun purchases and raising the legal age to purchase guns to 21 with exceptions for military and law enforcement. She supported funding for additional mental health services for youth and increased funding for school security improvements, such as safety glass and security cameras.

 

Stevenson is an advocate for Florida’s historic and natural resources and keeps a sharp focus on the needs of her rapidly growing district. That includes protecting the top ranked school district, funding for water projects and road improvements such as the 9B extension. She enjoys boating, bicycling and time at the beach with her husband Henry. Their sons, Paul and Wes, graduated from Nease High School and the University of Florida.  Visit www.Vote4Cyndi.com for more information. 

 

Jaime D. Perkins

No Party Affiliation

Jaime D. Perkins was born and raised in St. Augustine and graduated from St. Augustine High School. She is the mother of one son, 13-year-old Micah, who is an honor student in the St. Johns County Public School System.

As a local business owner, Perkins is the senior consultant at her project management agency, JDP & Associates, where she provides professional services to businesses within the public and private sector. Perkins has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Phoenix, Jacksonville and worked many years in the retail and mortgage banking industry.

 

In the community, Perkins has served as the infrastructure chairperson on the West Augustine CRA, public relations coordinator for West Augustine Youth Development and public relations chairperson for People Helping People Community, INC.  

 

Tolomato Community Development District- Seat 4

Cherya Cavanaugh

Submitted by the candidate

Cherya Cavanaugh and her family moved to Nocatee eight years ago from California.  When the Cavanaughs moved to the community in 2010, the Nocatee vision was just beginning to unfold.

They saw Nocatee’s potential not only as an incredible place to raise their son, but an ideal place to build their business and serve their community. She and her husband, Tom, are now award-winning real estate brokers with REMAX in the Nocatee Town Center. She is passionate about serving, and her family is actively involved throughout the community. She launched the Resident Ambassador program at Del Webb Ponte Vedra. She and her family are also proud supporters of K9s For Warriors in Nocatee, and have sponsored dogs that have been trained to assist veterans. 

 

She is active in her son’s school, Palm Valley Academy, and was one of the first real estate agents to become Nocatee Certified. According to Cavanaugh, her communication, organization and diligence make her an asset to the Tolomato Community Development District. She is committed to protecting the vision of Nocatee, and will ensure the community maintains the Nocatee lifestyle so many enjoy. Cherya has been endorsed by The PARC Group, developer of Nocatee, for Seat 4.

 

Tiffany Davis-Baer

Submitted by the candidate

Tiffany Davis-Baer is thrilled about this new opportunity and looking forward to serving the community.

Her background is in human resources (HR). As an HR business partner, executive coach and strategic thinker, Davis-Baer believes she has the skillset to take complex messages and then simplify them for the masses to understand. She excels in listening to people, synthesizing information and helping organizations and people move forward. She hopes to apply those same skills to this board.

She hopes to bring more transparency to the process of how Tolomato CDD dollars are used and then she intends to involve members of the community, helping them see the big picture, understand why the community has CDD fees and value the contributions that have been made thus far. She believes the current board has done great work, and she wants to partner with fellow board members to help bridge the communication gap between the board and the community.

 

With over 10 years in human resources, and as a former teacher, Davis-Baer understands what families and specifically what children want and need to excel in a thriving and growing community. She is a servant leader at heart and she believes in building bridges.

 

Tolomato Community Development District- Seat 5

Daniel J. Pasky

Submitted by the candidate

Daniel J. Pasky is running for the Tolomato Community Development District to bring renewed energy to Nocatee and its board of supervisors.

Pasky is a community-driven attorney and strives to help colleagues and clients make their communities a better place to live and do business. He is running for the board of supervisors for three main reasons: to complete the infrastructure and amenities in Nocatee’s final development stages, to maintain and preserve the infrastructure and amenities to keep property values high and to maintain Nocatee’s brand for the future.

Pasky was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science from Auburn University and a law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. For the past 10 years, he has been a practicing attorney focusing on real estate, corporate defense and financial services law.

Pasky is active as a member of the board of directors for the Greenleaf Lakes Homeowner’s Association, Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine and the Cultural Resource Review Board of St. Johns County. He is also a member of Crosswater Community Church in Nocatee.

 

Since 2015, Pasky has lived in Greenleaf Lakes with his wife, Maureen Meehan Pasky, and their chocolate lab, Sedona.

 

Ron Howland

Submitted by the candidate

Dr. Ronald W. Howland lives with his wife, Marilee, in Del Webb Ponte Vedra. He has lived and practiced dentistry in Ponte Vedra for over 25 years.

Prior to private practice, Howland served in the United States Navy Dental Corps at USMC Recruit Depot and aboard the USS Saratoga CV-60. He gives back through his involvement with Dental Outreach to Third World developing nations every year, and he is involved in the Florida Baptist Children’s Home.

In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, traveling and spending time with his family.  Howland’s desire is to serve the Nocatee Community as the Tolomato Community Development District Seat 5 member by ensuring that the CDD continues to support and protect the Nocatee brand, controlling the operating costs and assessments, and ensuring that the amenities enjoyed by the residents are maintained for future generations. 

 

Howland has been endorsed for Seat 5 by both outgoing CDD board members and by Nocatee’s developer, The PARC Group. 

 

U.S. Rep. District 4

George “Ges” Selmont

Democrat

Submitted by the candidate   

George “Ges” Selmont is a Ponte Vedra Beach husband and father with a history of success in law, technology, entertainment, sports and higher education. He has been married to his wife, Monika (also an attorney), for 17 years. They chose Northeast Florida to raise their two boys, Nate and Luke, and have happily called the First Coast home for almost nine years.

Selmont is a lifelong Democrat who has always had an interest in government and public service. He grew up in Connecticut in a family that taught him to value many things. His father, a Korean War Veteran and union member, taught him values that include honoring veterans and the rights of employees to unionize. While still in college, Ges hel