Jessica Wright narrowly defeated longtime Pasco County School Board member Allison Crumbley in a race to represent District 4 during the Aug. 20 non-primary election.
School Board members don’t declare a political party affiliation when running for office.
Wright received 29,184 votes, or 51%, while Crumbley garnered 28,110, or 49%. The term of Crumbley, who’s been a School Board member for 14 years, will end on Nov. 19. Wright will be sworn in on the same date and will begin her four-year term.
Here are the results of Pasco County’s Republican Primary election on Aug. 20:
Former state senator John Legg received 24,260 votes, or 76%, in his effort to become his party’s nominee for Pasco County superintendent of schools. His challenger, Michelle Mandarin, received 7,758 votes, or 24%. Legg will face off against Chris Dunning in the Nov. 5 general election. Dunning, who is running as a non-party candidate, currently is principal at Wendell Krinn Technical High School in New Port Richey.
The winner of the general election will succeed Superintendent of Schools Kurt S. Browning, whose term will expire on Nov. 19. Browning, who has held the position for 12 years, decided to not seek reelection.
Lisa Yeager, who represents District 4 on the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BCC), received 20,478 votes, or 63%, while her two challengers, Gabriel Papadopoulos and Christina Fitzpatrick, received 6,311 votes, or 20%, and 5,512 votes, or 17%, respectively. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Yeager to the District 4 seat following the April 21 death of Gary Bradford, who passed away midway through his first term. Democrat Daniel Ackroyd-Isales will challenge Yeager in November. The winner of that election will serve the remaining two years of Bradford’s term.
Jack Mariano, who represents District 5 on the Pasco County BCC, received 23,486 votes, or 74%, while his challenger, Gina Finocchiaro, received 8,375 votes, or 26%. No-party candidate Thomas Celotto will challenge Mariano in the fall. Mariano is seeking his sixth, four-year term on the BCC.
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-FL-12, received 59,904 votes, or 84%, compared to his challenger, Hank Dunlap, who garnered 11,172 votes, or 16%. He will face Democrat Rock Aboujaoude Jr. in the November election.
State Sen. Ed Hooper, who represents District 21, received 34,377 votes, or 85%, compared to the 6,023 votes, or 15%, received by his challenger, John Siamas. Hooper will face Democrat Doris Carroll on Nov. 5.
State Rep. Brad Yeager, who lives in New Port Richey and represents District 56, got 6,882 votes, or 79%, compared to the 1,782 votes, or 21%, his challenger, Kirk Phillips, received. Democrat William Vernon Pura, who lives in Elfers, will run against Yeager in November.
Published August 28, 2024.
