![]() A few final thoughts on the sheriff’s ballot qualifying because, as you know, I analyze stuff to death… — Let’s hope the brain trust behind Dave Vincent’s campaign already have the next steps plotted out. Dave has to be very, very careful here. He just scored a huge boost Friday when competitors Calvin Adams Jr. and Doug Alexander bowed out, throwing their support to Dave. That’s great. Both represented plenty of supporters, and all three united in wanting the incumbent defeated in the Aug. 20 primary. Here’s what he can’t do: Assume those other votes will simply roll to his side of the table because their first choice is gone. I’ve seen candidates make this arrogant assumption before, and they wonder why it didn’t go well on Election Day.
If he hasn’t done so by now, Vincent should reach out to Calvin and Doug to line up not only support but enthusiasm. If Doug’s pronouncement is to come true — “A vote for Dave is a vote for this community” — then they need to continue their energized message. Instead of three separate, it’s now one. Calvin and Doug can’t disappear. — The Sheriff Mike Prendergast military campaign has begun. I received Monday what I figure will be the first of many mail pieces from the incumbent touting his Army background, law-and-order approach, and his supposed commitment to deputy salaries. Just Wright Citrus called this two months ago. The incumbent’s only path to re-election is to eliminate Citrus County from the conversation as much as possible. Prendergast could be running for re-election in Idaho, and have as many local ties. — We really need to get to know Dave Vincent in the next eight weeks. That’s on him. As a voter, here’s what I want to know: How exactly are you different from the incumbent? How will we recognize a change in leadership? What does “community” mean to an agency whose job is to arrest criminals? — Speaking of that, Vincent’s campaign should consider altering at least part of his message. I get that Vincent has years of leadership experience in the sheriff’s office but he’s not, you know, the sheriff. “Experience” doesn’t work when the incumbent has had the job for seven years and Vincent’s had it for exactly none. What resonates with citizens is the incumbent’s lack of community awareness. Expect to see many community leaders proclaim their support for Vincent. — And then expect the incumbent to use that against him. This guy’s political strategy comes out of a third-grade handbook. I’ll set the over/under at two weeks before a mail piece arrives warning of Vincent’s “good old boy” pals. It’s a shrewd approach. Don’t even try to win popular support. The targeted Prendergast voter is ignorant of Citrus County or has little interest in what happens here. — I’m sure there are some hurt feelings among the Alexander and Vincent camps. I’m sure the Alexander folks are feeling disrespected some, and the Vincent folks are feeling a little smug. I’ll say this as gently as I can. Get over it. Now. The goal for Dave Vincent shouldn’t simply be to win but to send a message that voices matter. Our voices, our opinions, our lives — they matter. The community is having numerous conversations of great significance. This is one of them. Citizens move the mountain, not politicians. An analogy from “Hoosiers,” one of the great political movies of all time: Gene Hackman is Coach Dale, the washed-up coach of an Indiana high school basketball team in the 1950s. First few games in, the whole town hates him. Jimmy, the school’s best player, won’t play because the old coach who died was like a dad to him. Things are not looking well. The town has a community meeting to fire the coach. Just as the votes are being counted, Jimmy shows up and says he’s ready to start playing ball again. Finally! Got rid of the lousy coach, and Jimmy’s back on the team. Jimmy says: “One more thing. I play, Coach stays. He goes, I go.” Coach Dale survives the recall. A few weeks later, another coach is going through a rough stretch. He doesn’t think he can make it. Here’s what Coach Dale says: “The other night, I didn’t think I could make it. After what Jimmy did, it’d take the Indiana National Guard to get me out of here!” After what Adams and Alexander did, Dave’s attitude should be similar. An absolute, no-holds-barred, gather folks together and get-er-done approach. Campaign like the community’s already won. This is the most exciting, significant, and momentous Citrus County sheriff’s election of our time. Dave Vincent wants to lead? Let’s see what he’s got. Join the discussion on our Facebook page. Enjoying the blog? Please consider supporting it at Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 36 years. Archives
February 2025
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