Hibbard wooed Hart's former supporters

CLEARWATER -- Voters in Countryside swept Frank Hibbard to victory over incumbent Ed Hart in Tuesday's City Commission election, a precinct-by-precinct breakdown shows.

Hibbard also won at least four other areas that had supported Hart when he was first elected three years ago.

In the other commission race Tuesday, incumbent Hoyt Hamilton decidedly beat challenger Patricia Bates-Smith, 59 percent to 41 percent. Precinct results show Bates-Smith won only in her neighborhood of Old Clearwater Bay, College Hill and a few precincts just south of downtown and in northeast Clearwater.

Hibbard, a bank investment officer, unseated Hart by winning about 53 percent of the vote. Breaking it down, Hibbard received 610 more votes than Hart, according to the final results released Wednesday.

Hibbard's support was especially strong in suburban Countryside neighborhoods, which Hart won three years ago. But that was before Hart aggravated several well-known residents there who decided to stump doggedly for Hibbard.

This time, Hibbard won roughly two thirds of the vote in Countryside, gaining 413 votes more than Hart's total votes here. Hibbard said he immediately noticed that was a substantial portion of his margin of victory.

"That blew me away," Hibbard said. "I think that's really where we won."

Hibbard's strongest showing in any single precinct was in precinct 518, a Scientology stronghold where the church-owned Hacienda Gardens housing complex is located. Hibbard won 88 percent of the vote there, gaining 229 votes more than Hart's tally.

Three years ago, the precinct was a base of support for Hart.

"I'm pleased at every vote we got regardless of where it was from," said Hibbard, a member of Calvary Baptist Church.

Hibbard also had strong support in his neighborhood, Harbor Oaks, as well as Sand Key and Coachman Ridge -- all upscale residential areas that supported Hart in 1999. Hibbard managed to edge out Hart in Morningside-Meadows, North and South Greenwood and northwest Clearwater.

Hart did well on Clearwater Beach, where he lives, and in College Hill, where Hart has been supported by residents upset about the city's proposed stadium deal for the Philadelphia Phillies. He also beat Hibbard in Island Estates and in neighborhoods scattered throughout the older, central core of the city.

Hart declined to discuss the election results Wednesday.

"You all can comment and just do whatever you want," Hart said.

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