I CAN'T DRIVE....FIFTY-FIVE!!!

For those who may believe that negative campaigning is just something that is done in state and federal races, it's starting to get somewhat negative in the Republican primary for Polk County's District 2 County Commission race.

Apparantly, a supporter of retired avaition business owner Betty Hill alerted the Lakeland Ledger of GOP incumbant Randy Wilkinson's habit of keeping the "pedal to the medal" while driving county-owned vehicles. In addition, Hill's campaign sent out an e-mail featuring Wilkinson's police mug shot from a 2002 arrest for domestic violence battery against his first ex-wife, a charge which was later dropped.

Wilkinson says he uses county vehicles for official business because, as he told the Ledger, "I'd rather not put the miles on my car." The issue is that the vehicles have GPS tracking systems, and during a trip from Bartow to Stuart for a Florida Association of Counties meeting, it logged 32 times when the commissioner went over 82 MPH or more.

The Ledger story also notes:

"Wilkinson said he was running late, but he said that did not justify speeding to the meeting. He also went 88 mph on another drive last October, 82 mph in March and 89 mph in May, according to county records.

"I was wrong," Wilkinson said. "I'm not trying to excuse what I was doing. I can't do that. So I'm not. It's not acceptable."

The newspaper says it independently verified the information through public records requests.

Regarding the mug shot e-mail, Wilkinson replied that it "sounds a little desperate" and that bringing up the arrest without context and with the picture is "going too far", admitting that it could hurt his chances next Tuesday, particularly with new voters and others who are not aware of the story. The ad pictures Wilkinson as anti-law enforcement, focusing on his votes on the County Commission against the Sheriff's Office budget and the new jail.

The e-mail was sent to Hill's supporters, suggesting that they forward it to friends and others interesting in the primary race.

Hey, I4J ain't got no horse in this race; I'm supporting good friend and Democrat Robert Connors of Lake Wales in the general election. But it's always interesting to see the GOPeers go off on each other like that.