Mills captures District 4 board seat
The coffee shop owner defeated Brigitte Smith by 18,828 votes in the Tuesday runoff.
By Matthew Collins ·
Mike Mills, an Ocala coffee shop owner and U.S. Navy veteran, secured the open Marion County School Board District 4 seat on Tuesday. He defeated Brigitte Smith, an operating room nurse and chair of the Marion County Republican Executive Committee, in the nonpartisan runoff.
Unofficial results from the Marion County Supervisor of Elections show Mills receiving 78,999 votes, or 56.76%, while Smith received 60,171 votes, or 43.24%. The 18,828-vote margin was confirmed after all 106 precincts reported. The race replaced Nancy Thrower, who did not seek re-election. Board members serve four-year terms and receive annual pay of approximately $50,000.
The contest began with a four-way primary on Aug. 18, in which Mills led with 36.86% and Smith placed second with 30.84%. Because neither candidate achieved a majority, the top two advanced to the Tuesday vote. Approximately 24,700 voters, representing about 15% of countywide ballots, left the District 4 line blank.
Mills served as a nuclear machinist’s mate on submarines from 2010 to 2017. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Excelsior University and an MBA from Florida Atlantic University. He currently teaches business as an adjunct at the College of Central Florida and serves as a mentor for Take Stock in Children.
Smith, 59, worked as an operating room nurse for nearly 35 years and is a U.S. Army Nurse Corps veteran. The Christian Family Coalition Florida endorsed her candidacy. Her platform included a “Reading Revolution” to boost third-grade literacy, stricter oversight of construction contracts, and a return of the Safe Schools department to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Campaign finance reports through Oct. 29 show Mills outraising Smith, with much of his funding coming from businesses. Several of his $1,000 donors also gave the maximum amount to District 5 incumbent Sarah James. These donors include contractor Ken Ausley, Tillman & Associates Engineering, and Boyd Real Estate. Smith derived about 70% of her funds from individuals, many of whom are retirees, and was her own largest donor with $6,000.
The results remain unofficial until the Marion County Canvassing Board certifies them.
Source: Ocala Gazette
