The path to a school board seat has gotten a lot easier for a Villages golf pro.
Linda Winchester, a 20-year member of the Sumter County School Board, withdrew her re-election bid on Tuesday.
That clears the way for Cane Garden Country Club Golf Pro David Williams who qualified for the race on Monday with the Sumter County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Winchester, a resident of Wildwood, had prefiled to run for re-election to her District 3 seat, the same seat for which Williams, a resident of Oxford, is
running.
Williams has proven to be a formidable political fundraiser having taken in $13,225 in campaign contributions to run for the school board seat. He has raised more money than any other Sumter County candidate on the ballot this fall.
Some of the biggest names in The Villages are backing Williams. You can see a list of donors at the link below:
http://villages-news.com/big-names-villages-giving-money-golf-pro-running-school-board/
In contrast, Winchester has $50 in her campaign coffers. It was money she donated to her own campaign.
Of course, there is still time for a dark horse challenger to emerge, but it would require a great deal of hustling. The qualifying period for candidates ends Friday.
Sumter County school board members earn roughly $30,000 per year.
