Opinion: Commissioner Doug Moore Will Not Seek Re-Election - Brian Rust Enters The Fray

First and foremost, I want to take a moment and thank Commissioner Moore for his service. While we have not always seen eye to eye, he would take the time to sit down with the members of our team to explain his position. 

Something, sadly, too many public servants in Bay County will not do. 

That being said, the race to find his replacement has already begun with an announcement by Brian Rust, a local radio host who is throwing his hat in the ring. 

Rust has been a part of the community for quite some time and has had the majority of elected officials in the county on his show. And while I did not listen to anywhere near the majority of those interviews, I did make note of one thing.

There were rarely any hardball questions. You know, the kind that would make our elected officials have to justify their actions. 

I realize there is a balance between being over the top and being a softball pitcher if you want to have access to our local officials. But there is a point where the questions are so soft the interview turns into nothing more than a facilitated campaign speech.

Having access without adding information regarding who someone should vote for is all for naught. It inevitably leads to low voter participation and the same old policies that few voters agree with. Let me give you an example. I went back and listened to Brian’s interview in 2022 with then-Commissioner Griffitts who was running for the House seat being vacated by then-Representative Trumbull. 

Commissioner Griffitts encouraged voters who were not registered Republicans to vote in the Republican primary. Is it legal for someone to do that, yes. That is not the point. 

If you ask one hundred activists in either party, “Should nonparty-affiliated voters be allowed to pick a party’s nominee?” I am willing to bet ninety-nine would say no. 

Seriously, if you are an FSU fan would you be fine with the Florida coach picking your players?

So why not at least ask? What would you say to those voters who think it is downright silly to allow the opposing team to pick your nominee? 

And while we are on that subject, Brian, will you be encouraging the same behavior when you seek the Republican nomination? 

More importantly, if you have the honor of serving, will you be looking out for the voters-at-large or will you be following the trend saying, “I am locals first,” and then voting to shift the burden placed on our infrastructure by tourism to local residents via property taxes?

A great way to start would be to explain the following from your website, “Tourism is a driving force in our community, and we need to make sure we correct some of the mistakes of the past and help grow our tourism.”

The opinions expressed in the Bay County Coastal are solely those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Bay County Coastal, its owners, or its contractors. We strive to provide a platform for diverse perspectives and encourage respectful and thoughtful discourse among our readers.