County Commission District 3: Voters give incumbent Hildebrand GOP lead
The commissioner's experience and funding gave her the advantage against Scott Factor and David Abremski.
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published September 1, 2004
NEW PORT RICHEY - County Commissioner Ann Hildebrand cleared the first hurdle Tuesday toward her sixth term, handily defeating challengers Scott Factor and David Abremski.
The veteran commissioner carried the Republican primary with about 59 percent of the vote. Factor had 25 percent and Abremski had 15 percent with just a few precincts left to report.
"Obviously it was a tough race, and I worked really hard to get my message out to the voters," said Hildebrand, 66. "I think it shows the county's in pretty good shape."
"In my mind, it was also kind of a litmus test for the Penny for Pasco," she added, referring to the 1-cent sales tax hike she supported this year.
Hildebrand now faces Democrat Keith Waldron and a write-in candidate, Libertarian Jon Kueny, for the Nov. 2 general election. The winner will represent District 3, which covers the southwestern corner of Pasco, although commissioners are elected countywide.
The position pays $70,821 a year, and the term lasts four years.
Factor and Abremski hammered Hildebrand on some of the same growth issues: her support of the Penny for Pasco, her vote to designate industrial land for homes, the need to attract more businesses to Pasco County.
"Taking on a 20-year incumbent is a difficult task to begin with," Abremski said. "With three candidates running, the split between Scott (Factor) and I" divided the anti-incumbent vote.
Both challengers also had a fraction of Hildebrand's campaign chest. Hildebrand spent more than $32,000 in the campaign, while Factor spent nearly $8,800 and Abremski spent $5,000. While Hildebrand got contributions from developers, the challengers mostly financed their own campaigns.
"Money - that's what always makes the difference, absolutely," Factor said.
This campaign was the first for Abremski, 47, a technical support manager for Unaxis, a company that makes semiconductors. It was the second for Factor, 37, an insurance underwriter who lost to Hildebrand in 2000 with nearly 45 percent of the vote.
Bridget Hall Grumet can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244.
