Burgess qualifies for primary, earns endorsement
Republican state House candidate Danny Burgess has officially qualified for the upcoming House District 38 primary after his campaign collected enough signatures through the petition process.
The qualifying came just days before Burgess received an endorsement from the man he’s trying to replace in Tallahassee, state Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.
“From serving as the mayor of Zephyrhills to serving in the U.S. Army Reserve, Danny has a distinguished record of public service,” Weatherford said, in a statement. “Danny possesses the courage of his conservative convictions coupled with a temperament that enables him to work and find common ground.”
Burgess faces Minnie Diaz in the Republican primary in August, with the winner set to face Democrat Beverly Ledbetter in November, assuming no one else files to run.
Congressional candidates qualify
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, is officially defending his Congressional seat against former television reporter Alan Cohn after both wrote checks to qualify for the November election.
Both candidates chose to spend a little more than $10,000 each from their campaign coffers to qualify, instead of collecting signatures like U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor. Bilirakis will return to Congress unopposed after collecting the needed 2,298 signatures to qualify.
Ross has raised $718,000 for his re-election campaign through the end of March, while Cohn has collected $160,000.
Altman seeks third term on school board
The District 1 seat for the Pasco County School Board finally has a candidate … and it’s the incumbent, Allen Altman.
Altman, whose district includes primarily schools in eastern Pasco County — including Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel and Pasco high schools — made his re-election campaign official Wednesday.
Three school board seats are up for grabs this election cycle, with Cynthia Armstrong the lone candidate for her District 3 seat, and Marc Yacht challenging Steve Luikart for his district on the west side of the county.
Altman ran unopposed four years ago, raising $22,000. He originally won the seat in 2006, beating Cathi Compton and Willie Broner Jr., out-raising both $112,000 to $36,000.
Altman is an agent with Pasco County Farm Bureau Insurance, which maintains a local office at U.S. 301 in Dade City.
Candidates have until June 20 to qualify.
Republican brunch in Trinity
The West Pasco Republican Club will host a candidate brunch May 17 beginning at 10 a.m., at Heritage Springs Country Club, 11345 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Trinity.
The event will include Republican candidates seeking office in the upcoming election cycle.
Cost is $15.
To RSVP, call Anne Corona at (727) 514-1120.
