Sharpe vs. Burgin in Hillsborough County Commission GOP primary: A preview of the transit tax vote?

Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe has undoubtedly alienated a segment of the local Republican Party for his unabashed leadership role in crafting the referendum on a one-cent sales tax for transit and road improvements that county voters will weigh in on in November.

So for much of this year it was something of a surprise that no other Republican had dared to challenge him for his re-election bid in the District 7 primary.

But that changed on the last day for candidates to qualify, on June 18. That’s when 34-year-old Plant City resident Josh Burgin,  former executive director of the Hillsborough County Republican Party and a former aide to Brian Blair, dramatically entered the race.

This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2010.