COULD POLK COUNTY ACTUALLY SEE A REALLY INTERESTING COMMISSION RACE THIS YEAR? MAYBE

I read earlier in the week that Bruce Parker, former commissioner and mayor in Winter Haven who served a term on the Polk County Commission, has filed to run for the District 4 seat currently held by fellow Republican Paul Senft.

Senft, who will be finishing his first term on the BOCC, is generally considered to be the moderate on the five member all-GOP panel. Parker tends to be more conservative than the incumbant, favouring cutting taxes and relying more on impact fees to fund growth.

Senft and all but one of his collegues (Randy Wilkinson, who holds the District 2 seat) lost favour with many strong Republican conservatives over a taxing vote last year, and they had pledged to find opponents in those races this year. It is unknown if Parker's entry is part of that strategy, or if the semi-retired businessman is just getting back into the fray on his own.

These are two well known, well connected gentlemen who know their way around the local political scene, and it should be quite a show to watch. They are also generally classy fellows, so don't expect any below the belt talk from either man. It's too bad that this will be a primary contest. The winner will face off against Winter Haven resident Jean Reed --- a classy woman herself --- who has sought this seat twice before.