Managing Editor
HobNob draws candidates, voters
More than 600 voters, candidates and supporters swarmed Thursday’s 2010 Political HobNob at the Hyatt. Candidates and causes for local, state and federal offices set up 37 tables of information.
Leading gubernatorial candidates Bill McCollum, Rick Scott and Alex Sink were represented at tables, although McCollum was the only candidate of the three to attend.
The event, scheduled 4:30-6:30 p.m., wrapped up closer to 7:30 p.m.
It was sponsored by WOKV AM-690 and FM-106.5 and the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“HobNob provided a great opportunity for the community to meet the candidates,” said Rich Jones, news director at both radio stations.
In a straw poll, with results verified by Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland, 614 people cast ballots, but not all voted on each issue or office.
Results included:
• Amendment 4: Yes, 47; No, 255; and 115 said they didn’t know enough about it to vote.
• U.S. Senate: 312 for Marco Rubio, 71 for Charlie Crist, 64 for Kendrick Meek and 12 for Jeff Greene.
• Governor: 215 for Bill McCollum, 141 for Rick Scott and 138 for Alex Sink.
• Mayor: 368 for Mike Hogan, 98 for Alvin Brown, 54 for Audrey Moran, 48 for Jim Bailey, 24 for Glorious Johnson, 14 for Rick Mullaney and 13 each for Kevin Hyde and Robert Hutcherson.
Jones, WOKV Morning News host, said this morning that it wasn’t clear yet how many people attended the event, but that it was more than the 614 people who cast ballots in the straw poll.
“We’re confident that total attendance exceeded that figure,” he said.
kmathis@baileypub
356-2466