A.G. Gancarski
Former Rep. Janet Adkins proved to be the primary investor in her bid for Nassau County Supervisor of Elections.
In figures released Friday by the office she seeks to lead, the candidate moved $11,000 into the campaign account in August, of a total $11,250 raised between Aug. 1 and 13.
The last week of July saw Adkins raise $8,150, with $8,000 from herself and the other $150 from family members. The week before that, Adkins moved $5,000 into the campaign account. And the week before that came two $1,000 checks from her business. And Adkins started off July putting $8,000 into the campaign account.
External donations have come in, too, including from Democratic Rep. Shevrin Jones, a South Florida candidate for Senate whose support may not be something Adkins will advertise.
Jones, who wouldn’t seem to have an interest in a Republican primary for an election supervisor’s seat in Northeast Florida, gave $500.
Adkins raised more than $51,000, more than her other two opponents combined, according to records from the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections.
Stan Bethea raised just more than $15,000. Justin Taylor, who is backed by Sen. Aaron Bean and other elected officials in Nassau, raised just over $31,000.
Adkins represented House District 11, which encompasses Nassau County and part of Duval County, from 2008 to 2016. She is coming off an electoral loss, however, in an ill-fated bid for Nassau County School Superintendent, getting just 32% of the vote against incumbent Kathy Burns.
The former four term legislator may be best remembered statewide for comments she made in 2015, in which she enthused about packing a Congressional district with felons to suppress the vote.
“You take a look at how many minorities are in the prisons within that newly drawn proposed Congressional District 5, how many of them live in the prisons,” Adkins said, as reported by POLITICO. “That is why Corrine Brown is so against an east-west. … Her concern is they live in prisons and can’t vote.”
She told media after the fact that her comments were “an effort to explain the proposed lines” of the district, which ahead of the 2016 election moved from being a Jacksonville to Orlando district to a Jacksonville to Tallahassee configuration.
A longtime Jacksonville seat, since 2016 it has been held by U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, a Tallahassee Democrat.
7 comments
Douglas Adkins
August 16, 2020 at 2:19 pm
The simple truth here is that Rep Shevrin Jones a member of the black caucus served with Janet on the K12 Education Committee. Janet earned the respect of many members in the black caucus and the efforts to smear her through this “pay to play” platform are despicable. Janet is well known as one of the most conservative Republicans during her time in the Florida Legislature. Janet passed the rape test kit bill in 2016 to ensure that women who were victims of rape received justice, Janet had a A plus rating from the NRA and a 100% rating from Florida Chamber. Janet also passed in 2014 a pro file bill to address the termination of life at viability. The reality here is that Janet has learned to work across the people across the isle and its ok that Democrats and Republicans can work together towards common goals. The reality here is that Janet is the only candidate that has taken a strong stand against universal vote by mail and ballot harvesting and the need for ballot security. Janet has pledged to run a clean campaign and has not brought up her opponent’s two arrests or sunshine law violations.
Scott Creary
August 29, 2020 at 12:48 pm
Backgrounds should have been investigated and ran on the other candidates. I found where there are questions regarding potential sunshine law violations for one of the opponents and I think the 2 arrest records are very important to know for those in public office. Where can we find that information? When I do a search they all seem to be clean. Congratulations to the candidates and to Mrs. Adkins on her victory.
Sarah Pelican
August 16, 2020 at 3:44 pm
This article smacks of being a last minute ditch effort to smear the only female candidate in the race; even more interesting maligning Ms. Adkins for her ability to reach across the aisle and earn the friendship and respect of someone on the opposing side of the political spectrum. Isn’t that what we should expect from our representatives? I wonder if Mr. Gancarski spent as much time digging into Mr. Taylor’s or Mr. Bethea’s backgrounds? If not, why not? What’s sauce for the goose…
Elizabeth Joyce
August 16, 2020 at 5:10 pm
I have to wonder about the reason for the above article to have been written. It would seem that the author was contacted by someone from Nassau county to do a hit piece on one of the candidates. When did it become unacceptable for a candidate to use their own money on their campaign or to have friends contribute to their campaign? In the Supervisor of Elections race there are three candidates. One who has worked in Jacksonville for the last 28 years according to his biography, one who has served as a Nassau county commissioner, but does not hold any sort of college or business degree and then there is Janet Adkins, who has an MBA, has served Nassau County in Tallahassee and who is more than just a strong Republican. I don’t believe anyone will always agree with every decision another person makes, and personalities may clash. However, when it comes to voting I would encourage voters to put aside likes and or dislikes and vote for the person they believe will best safeguard the needs of the citizens of our county. Janet Adkins is an intelligent, conscientious individual with years of business experience, who I know is committed to this county. She is thorough in every job I’ve ever seen her undertake and she is receptive to input and ideas from others. I will be supporting Janet in her race to be Nassau County Supervisor of Elections because I believe she is not only the most qualified but because she has the best interest of this county at heart and I know she could handle any situation within that office that is presented to her.
Andrew Nichols
August 16, 2020 at 5:18 pm
This is an attack of someone’s character… Janet, a strong republican woman who has the education and experience working with the people and the State of Florida.
Janet’s the person who is working across the aisle to pass the legislation that will benefit THE PEOPLE.
I’d like to see an article on Justin Taylor and Stan Bethea background..
Justin has zero experience working with Elections and failed as a commissioner so he’s jumping ship. Stan has worked in Jacksonville for the past three decades and now wants to be a part of Nassau county, which seems odd. Why not continue in Duval county after 30 years of service?
VOTE FOR JANET
August 18, 2020 at 8:09 am
WE VOTED FOR JANET!!!!!! GOOD, CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE, WHAT AMERICA NEEDS MORE OF!!!
Douglas Adkins
August 18, 2020 at 10:48 pm
Janet won the SOE race in Nassau County with 34.10%, despite the fact that Senator Bean endorsed and financially backed Justin Taylor, Nassau Tax Collector John Drew and Property Appraiser Mike Hickox along with Duval SOE Mike Hogan, former Nassau Superintendent of School John Ruis, Wesley Wilcox, Marion SOE, Brian Corley, Pasco SOE, Kurt Browning, Pasco School Superintendent and former SOE, Tappie Villane, Santa Rosa SOE, Loris Edwards SOE, Nita Crawford, Baker SOE, Topmmy Doyle, Lee County SOE, Kaiti Lenhart, Flagler County SOE, David Stafford, Escambia County SOE, Tammy Jopnes, Levy County SOE and President of the SOE association 2019 -2020 all came out to support either Stan bethea or Justin Taylor. Janet did not seek the endorsements of the political class and ran on her record and qualifications. Amazing race.
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