Dent, Thaxton attack each other's party loyalty and track record

The doe milling around the ninth green at Laurel Oak Country Club created a peaceful contrast to the heated debate inside the nearby clubhouse, as two candidates for Sarasota Supervisor of Elections quarreled three weeks before they will meet for the primary election.

Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton at a July 24 breakfast sponsored by the Sarasota Republican Club continued his attack of incumbent Kathy Dent’s record, which includes three lawsuits. Dent, however, took the opportunity to criticize Thaxton’s party loyalty.

Thaxton is known for his environmental advocacy, which, as a Republican, he said, allows him to capture the votes of moderate Democrats and independent voters. Dent received 64% of the votes cast in the 2008 general election, which Thaxton said he could match or beat against the Democratic challenger in November.

“This man’s passion is the environment,” Dent said of her opponent. “My passion is elections.”

She implied that agenda has drawn Democrats to work in Thaxton’s campaign, as well as vote for the three-term commissioner.

“My opponent has surrounded himself with Democrats,” she said. “And it’s those same Democrats who have been bringing up the dirt.”

She named W. “Skip” Parrish, a computer expert who clashed with Dent in 2009 about voting machines, as a “Democratic operative” working under Thaxton.

Parrish, in May, sent an email urging Sarasota County commissioners to vote against approval of new voter precincts and polling location changes, citing concerns about the elderly population. Thaxton asked Dent for a report on how reprecincting would affect senior citizens.

“As of now, I haven’t heard a word about it,” he said during the debate. “Rest assured, there will be confusion on Election Day.”

Prior to the debate, attendees united for a fiery denouncement of Barack Obama from Dr. Rich Show co-host, Johnny Jackson, who also moderated the event.

“One hundred and four days,” Jackson said. “That’s how many days we have left before we go to the polls and defeat Barack Hussein Obama.”

Charles Hines, who is running this year for the seat vacated by Thaxton, and current Sarasota County Commission Chairwoman Christine Robinson spoke before the debate about their campaigns and the general election.

“After this primary, we have to come together and get going for Mitt Romney,” Robinson said.