Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/118445
Sarasota News Leader March 29, 2013 Page 19 Only 996 votes were cast in the four-person race on March 8, 2011. Shaw received 414; Holland, 218. Dorfman was a close third with 202, and Williams trailed with 162. Thus, the two losers got 364 votes between them. Where did these Dorfman and Williams votes go in the final election? "What is the motivation?" was a question from the local press corps. "Is it to keep Susan Chapman off the [City] Commission?" It was not my question, but it was in my mind. Was this the formation of an "Anybody But Chapman Club"? There is no evidence the 2011 endorsements did any harm, but it is clear they were in no way decisive. At best the endorsements were neutral; at worst, they gave Shaw an extra margin of victory. The crisscross endorsements of 2013 may work differently, but recent city electoral history argues otherwise. knocking on doors; talking to church groups; engaging the neighborhoods. I need to spend time where Kelvin was strong, north Sarasota and Newtown." Lumpkin was ready for the question. "Some may see this as a move against somebody else. In the May 10, 2011 runoff, more votes were We can't worry about that when it comes to cast than in the primary — 1,234 compared our loyalty to the city. We both knew the risk to 996, because 238 new voters showed up. of doing it this way," he said. Add them to the 364 votes for Dorfman and Williams, and there were 601 "new" votes up Looking at his new allies, Lumpkin added, "Susan Chapman went to every church [in for grabs between Holland and Shaw. Newtown]. I encourage you to do the same." Of them, Shaw captured 321 (for a total of 735 votes) while Holland got 281 more (for a total Atwell was uncharacteristically quiet at the event. In a post-conference chat, Dorfman of 499). Therefore, Shaw's margin of victory in tried to pull her a little closer. "Kelvin and I the second election was 236 votes; in the first were very much on the same page, and Linda election, it was 196 over Holland. and I were equally close. The four of us [inIn other words, the Dorfman and Williams cluding Atwell] were pretty close," he said. supporters plus the new voters split almost Dorfman, Holland and Lumpkin all live north evenly despite the endorsements. If anything, of Fruitville Road. Dorfman added, "I need the vote tilted further toward Shaw. to take advantage of these endorsements — 'THE ABC CLUB' He continued, "We have to engage harder, north of Fruitville, to maximize these endorsements, and also maintain our support in other areas." Chapman said the endorsements "defined evOne overtone in the room concerned the third erybody a lot better. It makes it clear Suzanne victorious candidate in the race, Susan Chapman. Atwell is not a middle-of-the-road candidate." %