Sheriff SHOAR "thinking about calling it quits": St. Augustine Record editorial 10/9/2015

Interesting Record editorial says Sheriff DAVID SHOAR "thinking about calling it quits," but omits State's Attorney race -- New Smyrna Beach attorney Douglas Scott Williams is challenging State's Attorney RALPH JOSEPH LARIZZA. Both SHOAR and LARIZZA notoriously disgraced themselves in the eyes of the world in their mishandling of the September 2, 2010 shooting of Michelle O'Connell in the home of Deputy JEREMY BAKNS.

Editorial: Political season never really ends
Posted: October 8, 2015 - 11:43pm | Updated: October 9, 2015 - 12:03am
Sounds funny to say that political season is upon us once again. Didn’t we just get through a special election in the spring?
Nothing stops the wheels of politics anymore.
The genesis of this opinion piece was an email we received, inviting us to a political fundraiser scheduled next week. That seemed odd, right? So it was sufficiently curious that we opened the email and found that it was, indeed, a fundraiser — but this one wasn’t for a single candidate, it was for four of them, all Florida House members from our area: Travis Cummings and Jay Fant from Duval, Cyndi Stevenson from St. Johns and Paul Renner, who moved from Duval to Flagler County in order to run for his District 24 seat — still warm from former Rep. Travis Hutson. He made a successful run for John Thrasher’s vacated Senate seat.
The affair is at the Epping Forest Yacht Club — very high-end digs, in case you’re not familiar. It’s being hosted by the Florida Foundation for Liberty, an apropos PAC moniker if ever there was one. The hosts are a who’s who of power players, including Ed Burr, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, W.W. Gay, Sen. Travis Hutson, John Peyton — you get the picture. The PAC’s stated mission is to “identify candidates and principles that are aligned with the founding principles of the U.S. Constitution.” It solicits and disperses contribution in order to attain those goals.
Some might find it odd that political money is flowing to candidates still two years out from seeking re-election. And, we wonder, how would the PAC members know exactly who they’d like to see win that election without even knowing who potential opponents (with particular principles) might be?
The interesting part of the legal disclaimer reads that Renner is the PAC’s sole “Association” listed on the paperwork.
This is not to insinuate that the candidates for whom the party is being thrown should not be there and/or accepting contributions. It’s a political game, and an increasingly serious one. But it has to make you wonder exactly what the PAC expects that it’s buying today, in anticipation of an election way down the road.
Closer to home, but not much, we have a healthy list of candidates for county offices already signed up and collecting dollars.
Hunter S. Conrad will challenge for the clerk of court position just vacated by Cheryl Strickland. He’ll take on the sitting clerk George Lareau and Jake Riley. Conrad has the largest contribution total of all local candidates at $15,026. Former St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office employee Debra Maynard is challenging Sheriff David Shoar, who still insists he’s thinking about calling it quits.
Len Ortagus will run against (sic) incumbent Sharon Outland for property appraiser. Three candidates are qualified for runs at county commission. Rick Scott appointee Jimmy Johns has raised $10,000 for the District 1 seat. Paul M. Waldron (Harry’s boy) challenges in District 3 and Dottie Acosta seeks the District 5 seat. Former sheriff’s deputy Danny Chitwood has announced his intention to run for the District 3 seat as well, but has not qualified.
Carl Youman will defend his Group 5 seat on the Airport Authority, and John Reardon seems ready to return to politics, challenging longtime District 2 school board member Tommy Allen.
Just to recap, the next election will be Nov. 3 — the school board’s 1/2-cent sales tax referendum. The primary is March 15, 2016. Primary elections are Aug. 15, and the general election is Nov. 8, both in 2015.
Perhaps the early bird does catch the worm. But remember, it’s also true that the second mouse to the trap always gets the cheese. Think about it.