Clarke is running behind the other candidates up for mayor, Demings, Panepinto, and Sublette. So there is speculation that Clarke may reverse course and decide to stick with the commission. Until that time arrives or doesn’t, seven people believe that District 3 needs new leadership.
The candidate in the race the longest is Eric Rollings, Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. Filing in October of last year, Rollings has raised $19,069 with $2,460 arriving in December.
After Rollings comes Bill Moore, a candidate who filed 10 days after Rollings but isn’t raising the same type of money. Moore has $2,460 in contributions and raised just $5.33 in December.
There’s Gus Martinez, a candidate in name only apparently. Martinez has been in since October like the previous two but has filed a waiver each month since filing.
Mayra Uribe, a well-known name in Orlando politics, is in the running as well. She’s raised $3,250 since October pulled in $990 in December. Uribe has run for the commission before and was able to attain over $75,000 in donations. She’ll need that same number to compete this time around.
Next up is Bobby Lance. He loaned his campaign $25,000 and raised $5,000 in December, his first month in the race. If she’s able to potentially self-fund, this should be a fun race.
There’s also Pete Crotty, former Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty’s brother, who filed in early January and Nelson Betancourt who put in his paperwork around the same time. No reports for either candidate yet, there should be a lot to see come February.
This is by far the most crowded race in the county. Seven candidates vying for one spot is borderline circus tent, and so far, nobody has started a high wire act.
There’s still time, though. And with so such a healthy amount of people, there’s bound to be fireworks soon.
