Republican state committeewoman files to run for Brevard County Commission

Republican state committeewoman Kim Adkinson has filed to run for County Commission, hoping to represent Brevard County District 3 on the dais next fall.

She and West Melbourne councilman John Dittmore are currently the only two names in the race, setting the stage for a Republican primary that would determine the ultimate winner of the election.

Adkinson is a Melbourne Beach Republican who has previously held various roles in Brevard County's civic life, including as Republican Chairwoman of District 3, member of the Melbourne Beach Code Enforcement Board, and member of the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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District 3 is currently represented by commissioner John Tobia, who is unable to run again next year due to term limits. Instead, Tobia has set his sights on running for county Supervisor of Elections against incumbent Tim Bobanic, who was appointed to the position after the resignation of Lori Scott last year.

Adkinson was elected to Florida Republican party leadership in 2020, representing Brevard County and working to get Republicans elected locally.

"I've seen our county change so much in my lifetime. Some of those changes have been good and some have been not so great. I'd like to guide Brevard in a way that is family friendly. That's who we are. We really need to look at how we are spending our money in this county. We talk about the lagoon all the time. When I was a kid, we would play in it, eat from it, and now people don't want to put their feet in it," she said.

Adkinson said she wants to make Brevard County attractive for others to visit and relocate, but wants to encourage the kind of growth that attracts people who are in line with the values of the county's residents. "I am running for my family and my neighbors and my friends," she said. She wants to establish a dialogue with the residents of her district to determine their needs and how she can meet them. "My guiding principle is to respect the people who work here," she added. "I don't want to spend their money frivolously."

Brevard County Commissioners serve four-year terms and make an annual salary of $60,272.98. County Commission races are staggered; Districts 2 and 4 held their races in 2022.

Tyler Vazquez is the Brevard County and North Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-917-7491 or [email protected]. Twitter: @tyler_vazquez

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Republican committeewoman filed to run for Brevard County Commission