A well-funded newcomer is taking on a well-known pastor in a Wildwood Commission race.
Marcos Flores of T&D Concrete is running for the Group 4 seat against Jimmy Derrel Strickland, lead pastor at Oxford Assembly of God.
Flores has raised an eyebrow-raising $23,395 in campaign contributions, towering over the $2,100 raised by Strickland. The only Sumter County candidate who raised more than Flores is Judge Paul Militello who raised $47,772, and recently won the Aug. 23 primary.
Flores got a strong boost from his employer in April. He collected $1,000 from T&D Concrete, $1,000 from Terry Yoder and $1,000 from Glendora Yoder. The Yoders are the owners of T&D Concrete.
Flores collected $5,000 from The Villages on July 13, in increments of $1,000 from The Villages Land Company, The Villages Equipment Company, The Villages Operating Company, Holding Company of The Villages and The Villages of Lake Sumter, all headquartered at 1020 Lake Sumter Landing. That same day, Flores also collected a $100 contribution from Ryan McCabe, operations manager of The Villages.
Flores picked up $25 contributions in July from Sumter Landing Community Development District Supervisor Brad Brown, Director of Property Management Sam Wartinbee, Villages Charter School Director Randy McDaniel, Palmer Legends Country Club golf pro Mark Verkey, ASG Solutions and Cane Garden Country Club.
In the early part of August, Flores raked in another $4,000 in contributions, including $2,000 from Walter and Janice Shamp of the Village of Polo Ridge.
Flores also has been spending that money on his campaign, though none of it has been spent in Wildwood.
He has been hard to miss in his pickup truck, decked out for the campaign. Flores has spent $7,918 at Sign Wizard in Fruitland Park and another $5,211.12 at Quality Banner in Ocala.
Strickland’s contributions, the greatest of which was $500, are mostly from residents of The Villages and Summerfield. However, the Florida native has the advantage of name recognition, having served as a pastor since 1985 at Oxford Assembly of God.
The non-partisan race will be determined in the Nov. 6 general election.
