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Council member backs incumbent in raceBy MOLLY MOORHEAD© St. Petersburg Times published March 28, 2003 ZEPHYRHILLS -- City Council member Lance Smith is backing the incumbent in the Seat 5 race. Smith contributed $200 to the re-election campaign of fellow member Mike Bussell, who is seeking his second term on the council. Bussell's challenger, schoolteacher Celia Graham, ran against Smith for Seat 4 last April. Smith said Thursday that he supports Bussell because of the job he's doing. "He and I don't see eye-to-eye necessarily, but I think that he sincerely works hard at the council," Smith said. He said Bussell approached him and asked for a donation. City Manager Steve Spina said council members in the past have given money to other candidates as a way of making a statement about a particular issue. But Smith said his contribution is not issue-driven. "I support (Bussell)," Smith said. "I think Celia would do a good job, but I've gotten to know him and I just see that he really is passionate." He emphasized that he doesn't always agree with Bussell, or even vote with him on every issue. "You won't see us voting together. I've tended to be a little bit of a maverick," said Smith, who's in his first term. "But I think the diversity (of views) we have on there is good." Other members of Smith's family have chosen to back Graham. Brantley and Susan Smith, Lance Smith's uncle and aunt, gave $300 to Graham's campaign. Brantley Smith said he thought Graham ran an impressive campaign against his nephew last spring, and he admires her knowledge of the issues facing the city. "She's just running on her own platform," Brantley Smith said. "I just feel she's very knowledgeable. I just think she's well-qualified." -- Molly Moorhead covers the city of Zephyrhills. She can be reached at (352) 521-5757 or toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6108, then 29. Her e-mail address is moorhead@sptimes.com
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