In a landslide victory, St. Augustine Beach Police Chief Rob Hardwick prevailed over opponent Chris Strickland in the race for St. Johns County sheriff during Tuesday’s Republican primary.
Hardwick received 26,475 votes to Strickland’s 11,712.
Hardwick said he was overwhelmed and humbled after learning of his victory. He credited the work of his volunteers and staff with bringing about his large margin of success.
In the County Commission District 1 race, newcomer Christian Whitehurst defeated incumbent Jimmy Johns by a similar margin, the former garnering 24,470 votes to the latter’s 12,821. Whitehurst will now face Democrat Joe McAnarney in the Nov. 3 general election.
In the race for U.S. representative in District 4, Republican John H. Rutherford won with 24,605 votes against challenger Erick J. Aguilar’s 7,146. Rutherford, the incumbent, will face Democrat Donna Deegan in the general election.
In the District 2 School Board race, Anthony Coleman garnered 62% of the votes to defeat opponent Nick Graham.
Surrounded by family Tuesday night, Hardwick claimed victory in an emotional speech at an election watch party attended by hundreds at Tringali Barn in southern St. Johns County.
The win virtually assures that Hardwick will succeed retiring Sheriff David Shoar, who had endorsed him and was present for the speech. A write-in candidate was Harwick’s only remaining opponent at the end of the night, though that challenge was all but dismissed by election night revelers.
“This was our first goal tonight, was to win this election,” Hardwick said. “I’ve got a lot of planning to do with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. They have some of the best men and women I’ve ever seen in law enforcement. It’s a massive agency, 360 sworn deputy sheriffs, about 130 correctional officers … there’s a lot of talent within that agency, and I’m truly blessed to take over the realm of that agency and lead it in the next direction.”
Incumbent Paul Waldron will retain his County Commission District 3 seat as he was unopposed. District 5 Commissioner Henry Dean, also an incumbent, was unopposed in Tuesday’s primary and will face Merrill Roland in the general election.
In the four-county 7th Judicial Circuit public defender race, incumbent Matt Metz has been declared the winner over George Burden and Anne Marie Gennusa. In St. Johns County, Gennusa received the most votes of the three candidates.
Incumbent candidates in several races were unopposed, including Patrick T. Canan for the District 5 School Board seat, Brandon Patty for clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, Eddie Creamer for property appraiser, Dennis W. Hollingsworth for tax collector and Vicky C. Oakes for supervisor of elections.
Others will face a challenger in the general election. Republican R.J. Larizza will face Don Dempsey, no party affiliation, for 7th Judicial Circuit state attorney. Republican state Sen. Travis J. Hutson will face Democrat challenger Heather Hunter and write-in candidate Richard Dembinsky. Republican state Rep. Cyndi Stevenson will face Democratic challenger Dave Rogers. Republican state Rep. Paul Renner will face Democratic challenger Adam Morley.
In the 7th Circuit judge races, most candidates were unopposed. In group 6, Mike Orfinger defeated Anna Handy. In group 14, voters chose Dan Hilbert over Joan Anthony and MaryEllen Osterndorf. In the group 27 race, Alicia Washington prevailed over Bryan Robert Rendzio.
Voters in a virtual straw poll, sponsored by the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce between Aug. 11 and 14, mostly got it right. There were about 1,600 votes cast in that poll, though not all of them came from within the county.
Straw poll voters chose Rutherford over Aguilar for District 4 U.S. representative and Hardwick over Strickland for sheriff. They selected Whitehurst over Johns for District 1 county commissioner.
One race in which straw poll voters differed from the electorate at large was in the public defender’s race. They chose Gennusa to win, which was consistent with votes cast in St. Johns County.
