A good time was had by (nearly) all

Here’s a first.

I have no words.

I’m done. Drained. Can’t move a muscle in my mind.

Just Wright Citrus went into this election season with a singular goal: Leave it all on the field. No day-after regrets. No “we shoulda done this” or “wish we hadn’t done that.”

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The county would be good regardless of the outcome, so long as we focused on community conversation.

That was the thought.

Here’s what happened: Extraordinary success.

Citrus County voters knocked it out of the park. We elected good people to our local offices. One powerful incumbent (Sheriff Mike Prendergast, remember?) lost big when it became clear he did not share the community's values.

Citizens were engaged throughout the campaign season. We discussed issues directly, head-on, without rancor and with only a minimum of insults.

We exposed political bullying and underhanded tactics. If I missed something, you didn’t. Just Wright Citrus readers are sharp.

We didn’t focus so much on singular issues, but rather broader implications. We challenged candidates to do better. Voters rewarded the ones who did.

Most importantly, we weren’t shy. Candidates with scripted campaigns found the going difficult as voting time got closer. Campaigning really is survival of the fittest. In Citrus County, the fittest is connected to the community and unafraid to discuss any reasonable topic.

A few final points:

— Not sure Jesse Rumson would agree with this, but Elections Supervisor Maureen “Mo” Baird and her team knocked it out of the park. True pros in that office. 

— The Cattle Dog chat has completely revolutionized my approach to candidates. Rather than an interview, where I’m writing down comments and tuning my ear for great quotes, we're having actual conversation.

And we’re blunt.

Candidates should never be surprised by something I write about them, because we've discussed it during a Cattle Dog chat. And I shouldn’t be surprised by their strategy because they've laid it out during these chats.

Candidates trusted me with that background. Their trust allowed me to better understand the landscape. Not a single candidate complained that I betrayed the personal details of those chats, because I didn't. Yet, we sure got a ton of blog material that led to great community discussion. I’m appreciative of candidates who let their guard down with me.

(I know you're wondering...my Cattle Dog staple is large frozen hot chocolate, extra chocolate. Yummy.)

— We dispatched annoying candidates, but they’ll be back. Such is politics. It's cloudy on the horizon, though. Difficult for fringe candidates to win when they can’t catch people off guard.

Not only did Citrus County voters rise to the occasion in electing strong candidates, but they also told the Library Guy Gang to take a hike. When some fashion of these candidates reappear in two years, we’ll be ready for ‘em.

— Ran into Doug Alexander and Calvin Adams Jr. the other night at JJ Grow’s victory party. Every time I see these guys, I’m reminded of what true community sacrifice looks like.

Not to rehash the whole thing, but we can’t let this 2024 season come to a close without once again giving heartfelt thanks to Doug and Calvin for their unique roles in the wildly successful Dave Vincent sheriff campaign. 

The community gathered and toppled a giant. We can never say again that a Citrus County politician is too powerful to lose. That happened through passionate conversation about matters of significance: loyalty, civic pride, cooperation, finances, and public protection. Nothing was off the table in that sheriff’s race.

Nothing was off the table anywhere.

Citrus County reared back and gave it everything we had. We were fully engaged, questioning the details, calling out exaggerations, shouting attributes, going out on a limb, and standing up for what’s important: Our way of life.

This election could not have gone better. We won big time.

Have a great weekend, friends. Take time to breathe.

— The blog is taking Monday off for Veteran’s Day. Don’t forget the parade at 10 a.m. Monday in Inverness, followed by the 11th Hour Service at the Old Courthouse. Thank you to all who served.

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