Election 2004

Waiting the hard part for Whaley

When the School Board incumbent fell asleep Tuesday night, she didn't know if she'd beaten Ryan O'Reilly. Wednesday morning, she still didn't.

By REBECCA CATALANELLO
Published November 4, 2004

Marge Whaley had to make a personal call to Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Kurt Browning on Wednesday morning to find out where she stood.

" "I said, "This is ridiculous ... Did I win?"' Whaley recalled.

By the time she went to bed Tuesday night, Whaley was hanging onto her District 2 School Board seat by less than a percentage point against political newcomer Ryan O'Reilly.

The morning headlines - written when the numbers were still not complete - didn't clear things up. But Browning's reassurance did.

Whaley, 63, won. No recount would be needed.

Finally, she said, she felt "peace and quietude."

O'Reilly, 23, said it was a hard battle well fought. Pulling in more than 49 percent of the vote as a first-time candidate running against an incumbent took a lot of effort. But he did it.

"I don't think I have anything to feel sorry about," O'Reilly said. "I can look back and say I did everything I could."

Whaley of Land O'Lakes ran on a campaign of providing stability to a school district in transition. With John Long retiring as superintendent and Heather Fiorentino coming to replace him, Whaley said she thought her 12 years of experience on the board and 16 years working in the school district would be an asset.

O'Reilly touted more vocational programs for schools. But the Wesley Chapel father of one also took Whaley to task for her stance on making the superintendent a board-appointed position rather than elected.

On Wednesday, O'Reilly didn't close the door on future political runs. Though he ran for a nonpartisan seat, he has been aligned closely with Pasco Republican leader Bill Bunting. Whatever happens, he said, Pasco voters can expect to hear from him again as the School Board moves forward to get the superintendent appointment idea on a 2006 ballot.

O'Reilly is a recent Saint Leo University graduate with a young son who has spent some time substitute teaching. Most recently, he said, he's been working with his family's new business, S&L Property Development.

[Last modified November 4, 2004, 00:41:23]