Officials survive in GOP primary
Incumbent Seminole commissioners win; Bush wins Dem race
In two closely watched GOP political battles that centered on protecting Seminole County’s rural boundary, commissioners Bob Dallari and Lee Constantine solidly fended off challengers backed by development interests in Tuesday’s Republican primary.
Dallari, who is seeking a fifth term, won 60% of the votes over Matt Morgan, a former WWE professional wrestler and Longwood’s mayor, in the District 1 race. Dallari, who was first elected in 2004, will face Democrat Katrina Shadix, a wildlife and environmental activist, in the Nov. 3 general election.
“I’ve been blessed to win this primary,” Dallari said. “I believe I’m the right choice to serve the people of Seminole County for the next four years.”
In the District 3 commission race, Constantine received 66% of the votes to defeat Longwood commissioner Ben Paris, who is vice president of the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce. Constantine, who is seeking his third term, will face Democrat Kim Buchheit in the general election.
“I think that this was about the soul of Seminole County,” Constantine said. “The people sent a clear message: They want to maintain and preserve the wonderful quality of life that we have here.”
In the Democratic primary for the District 5 commission seat, Pernell Bush, a mental health therapist, defeated attorney and former state legislator Mike Clelland by winning 71% of votes cast.
Bush will face Republican Andria Herr and Libertarian Andre Klass in Nov. 3 general election.
“I’m very excited,” said Bush, a Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq. “My team and I put together a good campaign.”
But it was the Republican primaries for districts 1 and 3 commission seats that drew the most attention and campaign contributions.
The four Republicans — Dallari, Morgan, Constantine and Paris — said throughout their campaigns that they supported protecting the voter-approved rural boundary from high-intensity development.
But Morgan and Paris got an assist in the race from development interests who sought to move the rural boundary.
Developer and lobbyist Chris Dorworth contributed $150,000 to a political action committee with links to a group that ran television ads against Constantine and Dallari. Dorworth’s controversial River Cross mega development proposed within the county’s rural boundary was unanimously turned