Adkinson, Dittmore will face off in District 3 Brevard County Commission GOP primary
A former Republican state committeewoman and a current West Melbourne city councilman will face off in a GOP primary to determine the Republican nominee for the Brevard County Commission District 3 seat.
John Dittmore, who has served as West Melbourne city councilman since 2018, will face Kim Adkinson, who served as the Republican Party's state committeewoman for Brevard County from 2020 until this year.
Both conservative Republicans are hoping to win the Aug. 20 primary to face Democrat Yvonne Minus, a Melbourne city councilwoman, in the Nov. 5 general election. District 3 includes much of South Brevard, including south Melbourne, West Melbourne, Palm Bay, Grant-Valkaria and the south beaches.
Incumbent Tobia can't seek reelection
Currently, District 3 is represented by John Tobia, who cannot run again due to term limits.
While Tobia is shifting his focus to run for the county's supervisor of elections office, Dittmore and Adkinson are seeking to be his replacement in the South Brevard district.
Both Republicans are running on platforms of managing the growth and development the county and South Brevard's District 3 is undergoing.
Adkinson said she wants to ensure that growth continues in the county, while ensuring the growth has a positive all-around impact on the lifestyle of the community and the environment.
Dittmore and Adkinson also both hope to prioritize first responders and public safety for the county.
Adkinson said she sees first responders as the backbone of the community, and wants to ensure they are taken care of to prevent shortages of qualified personnel down the road.
Dittmore said that paying first responders and public-safety personnel competitive wages now will prevent turnover and save money on turnover in the future.
Dittmore places special emphasis on maintaining and funding the Melbourne-Tillman Water Control District as a way to mitigate flooding in southern Brevard County.
"We need to make sure they have the budget they need to stay on top of flooding issues in the district," Dittmore said. "Those improvements will cost a little more in the short term, but save in the long run."
Adkinson and Dittmore both have conservative Republican views on the issues, while also acknowledging an interest in protecting the local environment.
"It is vital to foster business development in appropriate locations to increase job opportunities without infringing on the agricultural way of life or compromising the rural charm of our communities," Adkinson said in a campaign statement. "Keeping these priorities in mind, we must also ensure that all new growth positively impacts Brevard County."
The current salary for Brevard County commissioners is $60,272.98, and they serve four-year terms. There also will be elections this year in County Commission Districts 1 and 5.
Campaign finance reports
Adkinson and Dittmore are both going into the homestretch of the primary election with similar total fundraising totals, aided by campaign loans to themselves, along with smaller donations from those in the community.
Adkinson: She has loaned $20,000 to her campaign. Total raised: $43,039.50 in cash, plus $4,802.31 in in-kind contributions. Total spent: $29,561.87. Political committee contributions include ones from Friends of Tom Wright and Launching Florida's Future.
Dittmore: He has loaned $34,500 to his campaign. Total raised: $53,786, plus $779.13 in in-kind contributions. Total spent: $42,506.79. Political committee contributions include ones from Associated Builders and Contractors, Local Homebuilders PAC and RPAC of Florida. Individual contributors include West Melbourne City Council members Helen Voltz and Andrea Young, and Melbourne City Council member Timothy Thomas.
Endorsements
Adkinson: Florida Sen. Tom Wright; Florida Rep. Tyler Sirois; former West Melbourne Mayor Hal Rose; former Brevard County Commissioner Curt Smith; former Brevard Republican State Committeeman Mike Thomas; conservative radio talk show host Bill Mick.
Dittmore: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey; all Republican City Council members from Melbourne and West Melbourne; Coastal Florida Police Benevolent Association; Space Coast Home Builders and Contractors Association; Space Coast Association of Realtors; Business Voice of the Space Coast.
More on the candidates
Kim Adkinson
Age: 56
Occupation: Senior insurance professional
Education: Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Ohio State University
Political/government/civic experience: Republican chairwoman of District 3; member of the Melbourne Beach Code Enforcement Board; member of the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce. Former Republican state committeewoman.
Website or Facebook page: KimAdkinson.com
John Dittmore
Age: 59
Occupation: Insurance agent, retired policeman, Navy veteran
Education: Some college
Political/government/civic experience: West Melbourne City Council/vice mayor, State Department
Campaign email: [email protected]
Campaign phone number: 321-917-7029
Website: JohnDittmore.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Conservatives Adkinson, Dittmore seek County Commission seat
