Series: Escambia County Sheriff, 2008

All this week, Progressive Pensacola will be profiling the 2008 race for Escambia County Sheriff. Monday through Thursday we will profile the four candidates, in the following order:

• Monday: Ron McNesby
• Tuesday: David Morgan
• Wednesday: Sam Lucas
• Thursday: Larry Scapecchi

On Friday, we’ll look at the overall race and make a few projections.

The Office

The Sheriff of Escambia County is the chief executive of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) and the preeminent law enforcement official in Escambia County. He is responsible for all operations of the ECSO, including the operations of the Escambia County Jail. The Sheriff manages a budget that has risen to ~$86 million in FY2007-2008. While the ECSO is dependent on the Board of County Commissioners for budget appropriations, once the money is budgeted to the ECSO, the Clerk of Circuit Court has no power to audit the ECSO’s spending as it does with the Board of County Commissioners generally.

The race for Escambia County Sheriff has become by far the most expensive County-wide race, with the four candidates raising over $240,000 cumulatively, as of the first quarter. More than half of that figure comes from the incumbent, Mr. McNesby, alone.

The Sheriff’s annual salary is $138,636. Sheriffs are elected to serve a four-year term.

This year’s race features two Republicans: Ron McNesby (the incumbent) and David Morgan; and two Democrats: Sam Lucas and Larry Scapecchi. The Republican and Democratic primaries will be held on August 26. The winners of those contests will face each other in the general election on November 4.