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Election 2004

Sheriff hopeful rides Rice legacy

After years as outgoing Sheriff Everett Rice's chief deputy, Jim Coats is campaigning like an incumbent.

By MICHAEL SANDLER
Published July 16, 2004

LARGO - Three years ago, Pinellas County Sheriff Everett Rice predicted a flood of candidates would seek to replace him.

With the deadline to qualify for the ballot arriving today, Rice's longtime chief deputy and hand-picked successor appears to have scared off any serious competition.

Republican Jim Coats has dominated the race. His only competitor is Republican Tim Glassburner, a retired Ohio sheriff's deputy who has come up short in campaign contributions and on Thursday wrote a check for about $8,600 to get on the ballot.

Coats has amassed more than $150,000 in contributions, more than any candidate for countywide office.

To qualify for the ballot, Coats turned in more than 5,798 petition cards signed by registered voters. He has endorsements from some of the county's most influential leaders, including Darryl Rouson, president of the St. Petersburg NAACP and one of the most outspoken critics of Rice's administration.

But his most important supporter is Rice, his friend and mentor. The popular outgoing sheriff is running for a state House seat.

"I'm sure there would have been more candidates, if Everett hadn't gotten behind him," said Paul Bedinghaus, chairman of the Pinellas chapter of the Republican Party.

Coats is hardly the only dominant candidate for a Pinellas constitutional office. Three incumbents - Property Appraiser Jim Smith, Tax Collector Diane Nelson and Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark - are all unopposed so far.

Coats has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, but has never run for political office. Yet Coats has been campaigning since February 2001 as though he were the incumbent.

"It's like a CEO of a company or a manager of a business," Coats said. "You are trying to groom someone in your business to succeed you at some point in time. In my case, what better mentor to have than Everett Rice, who has been sheriff for 16 years."

In addition to money and political support, Coats enjoys a strong reputation in law enforcement circles.

For nearly a decade, Coats has been Rice's top deputy. He's managed an annual budget of more than $200-million and helps Rice oversee a department with nearly 3,000 employees.

Twice in his career, Coats was appointed by the governor to fill in for sheriffs in Gulf and Santa Rosa counties who were suspended by the governor and charged with crimes. In 1993 he temporarily headed the scandal-ridden Indian Rocks Beach Police Department at the request of the city manager.

"I think if Jim weren't so highly qualified, I would say it would not be good (for Coats to win by default)," Largo police Chief Lester Aradi said. "If there were somebody even in the same ballpark as him, I'm sure they would (run)."

Aradi said he knows of no police chief in Pinellas who seriously considered challenging Coats.

"There's no way I could compete against him with his war chest and the fact that he has a three-year head start," Aradi said.

At one point, three other candidates expressed interest in running. But only Glassburner is left, and he hasn't worked as a sheriff's deputy since the 1970s.

Glassburner, 59, was a deputy for 10 years in Ohio and served on his city council and as fire chief. He is a security guard at a St. Petersburg housing development.

He said he he has raised about $3,000 - far less than the $8,584.86 he needed to pay to qualify.

Glassburner said he is committed to the race even if it costs him money, because he's heard from enough people who are not happy with Coats.

"I'm sure he does (have an advantage)," Glassburner said. "But I've got an advantage, too. I've got the public. Those are the people who have the problems, and they want change."

Scot Schraufnagel, a professor of political science at the University of Central Florida, said Coats followed a classic campaign strategy that created "barriers to entry."

"He's gone out, amassed a large war chest and has been campaigning far enough in advance, playing within legitimate rules," Schraufnagel said. "He has created such a barrier to entry, he's in effect monopolized the election, where there is no chance for somebody else."

Rice is quick to note that his reputation, had it been bad, would have hurt Coats. He offers his own bid for sheriff as proof. It's been 16 years since he scored an upset by defeating embattled incumbent Gerry Coleman by a 2-1 margin in the 1988 Republican primary.

"What is my endorsement worth?" Rice asked. "You have to ask yourself that. It could hurt him in the eyes of some people. To suggest there might be an advantage, it can cut both ways."

The two became friends more than 30 years ago, when they were detectives.

"There's no harder working, fair public servant that I know of," Rice said. "He's just proven himself to be a great leader."

Rouson, the NAACP leader, has said Rice has not promoted enough minorities and women through the ranks. Rouson said the NAACP does not make political endorsements, but its members are free to support candidates and he likes Coats.

"Some people have accused him of being nothing more than warmed over Everett Rice," Coats said. "But Jim has demonstrated a willingness to break from old status quo. That's what I want to work with."

[Last modified July 16, 2004, 01:20:28]