Letter to the Editor, as published in the Citrus County Chronicle June 30, 2020:

When I was a teenager I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. After my enlistment was completed, I returned to Citrus County 46 years ago. I worked here and retired here. I love Citrus County and its community. Many things have changed over the decades. However, one thing has not. Citrus County is a beautiful place to live and I love the people here. I have been privy to many elections. I have been elated with some of the candidates I have supported, I also have regretted supporting some candidates, while others made me second guess the fact that I did not support them originally. One criteria that has never been a basis for my vote is the gender of a particular candidate. That characteristic falls outside of the parameters I set individually as a person, a citizen, and a voter.

I am proud and fully committed to supporting Holly Davis for the position of county commissioner in District 5, not because she is a woman. Instead, Holly Davis has impressed me from the moment she decided to run for this important office. I found her to be honest, sincere, genuine, and her pleasant smile and demeanor are appealing as well. I admire the way she has answered important questions presented to her both from local media and social media. Some of the questions have been challenging, but Holly Davis has answered without the political filter that so many politicians utilize. I admire her strength and independence which are tempered with an equal dose of compassion and humility. Her vision and her temperament will serve both the Citrus County Community and the BOCC well. It is with great enthusiasm and hope that I fully support and endorse Holly Davis for county commissioner District 5.

Patrick Shipman
Beverly Hills, FL