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© St. Petersburg Times, published November 6, 2002
INVERNESS -- Citrus County Commissioner Jim Fowler handily won a third term Tuesday evening, defeating nonparty candidate Scott Adams with 58.56 percent of the vote.
His Republican colleague, Citrus County Commissioner Gary Bartell, cruised to his fourth term with a big win over Democratic challenger Phillip Mulrain.
Although he emerged the victor, Fowler said he learned lessons from the campaign.
"It is clear to me there is a segment of the community I need to reach out to in the next four years, and I intend to do that," Fowler said. "There are some perceptions I need to change, and I intend to do that."
Fowler came under fire this year for his vote approving the controversial Halls River Retreat condominium time share project in Homosassa, as well as his support of property rights and additional infrastructure for the growing county.
He narrowly won the Republican primary, beating community activist Joyce Valentino with just 27 votes after a manual recount. Fowler posted a stronger win Tuesday over Adams: 28,841 to 20,412.
A stucco contractor making his second run for County Commission, Adams faced questions throughout the campaign about his colorful past. Last week, Fowler sent two mailers reminding voters of Adams' criminal record and conflicts with the county about permits for his logging business.
"I think that the citizens of our county have a right to know our history and our background in order to make a decision whether we have the judgment as elected officials to do what is right for the county," Fowler said.
Bartell faced an easier road, with no opponent in the Republican primary and a strong showing over Mulrain.
"I think it was a good report card on my time in office," Bartell said Tuesday evening from the Margarita Grill, where he dined with family members as election results came in.