Local Candidates Spent $225,000 On Election

It happens in every election; the candidates spend eye-popping amounts of money to get in - or remain in - an office that pays a relatively small salary.

This year was no exception: Barack Obama, for instance, raised and spent $660 million - and still counting - for a job that pays $400,000 a year.

State Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, wanted to keep his job, so he raised $935,000. His token opponent, Democrat Scott Thompson, raised $70,098.

It was the same for State Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Lake Placid. She raised $240,000; her Democratic opponent, Elton Gissendanner, spent $20,000.

All legislators make $30,336 a year, except the house speaker and the senate president.

Congressmen are paid $165,000, a job that Tim Mahoney lost because it was revealed he had mistresses. The freshman Democrat raised $3 million against the $1.2 million by his Republican opponent, Tom Rooney.

Locally, the most expensive race was for sheriff. Michael Rowan, the Avon Park Police commander who ran as a Democrat against incumbent Susan Benton, spent $12,027.

Benton won her race, but ran second in fundraising: $35,425 through the Oct. 30 reporting period. Ron Grimming, a Lake Placid Republican, raised $61,734.

In Highlands County, the sheriff will earn $121,034. Salaries are set by the state according to formulas.

Bob Germaine, the successful candidate for clerk of courts, collected $35,290. His Democratic opponent, raised $9,623, much of it from her own funds. The clerk, the property appraiser and tax collector will each be paid $112,438 in 2009.

Two District 3 county commission candidates who were defeated in the Aug. 26 primaries, incumbent Republican Andrew Jackson and Democrat Bruce Borkosky, raised $5,000 and $6,193, according to their last reports filed with the county supervisor of elections.

The two nominees in District 3, Republican Jeff Carlson and Democrat Jeri Canale, raised $25,251 and $11,375, respectively.

In District 5, Zane Thomas raised $5,233; incumbent Republican Guy Maxcy collected $9,275.

Maxcy and Carlson were elected. All five Highlands County commissioners will earn $48,805 next year.

Candidates are still filing campaign finance reports. The last one is due 90 days after the Nov. 4 election.