“Victor Crist is the clear choice for Republicans for Hillsborough court clerk”
The Times Editorial Board recommends the former state legislator and commissioner in the Republican primary.
The Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller is the official record-keeper for Hillsborough County, responsible for maintaining everything from court, county commission and marriage records to the rolls for prospective jury pools. The clerk also plays an auditing role over county operations. The clerk is elected to a four-year term and paid $205,918 annually. The primary election is Aug. 20. The winner of the Republican primary takes on incumbent Democrat Cindy Stuart in the Nov. 5 general election.
Hillsborough Clerk of Court: Victor Crist, Republicans
Two essential qualities for an official government record-keeper are attention to detail and comfort working in the public eye. By these measures, Victor Crist is far and away the stronger Republican candidate to be the party’s nominee in November.
Crist, 67, is a former state legislator and Hillsborough County commissioner who has long been active in local affairs. He represented parts of Hillsborough in the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000 and in the Florida Senate from 2000 to 2010. While in the Legislature, Crist oversaw matters relating to Florida’s court system and the operations of court clerks statewide. He later served as a Hillsborough County commissioner from 2010 to 2018.
Crist’s experience in state and local government gave him a firsthand look at how these bureaucracies function. He understands the clerk’s vital role in securing and providing access to public records, and the importance of ensuring an orderly flow of information across government agencies. Crist promises to use advancing technologies to make the office function more efficiently. He would maintain training for the staff and work to improve services to the agency’s partner governments.
Melony Williams, a 54-year-old retired Army logistics officer, also touts some of the same priorities, such as supporting the staff, increasing transparency and speeding the delivery and processing of records. But Williams is running a relatively quiet campaign, and her platform is more general than specific. Voters deserve more than a leap of faith; this office needs a leader who’s detailed and comfortable in laying out an agenda. Republicans have a better alternative.
Crist’s history in business and long involvement in improving conditions in the university area north of Tampa are bonuses to the government experience he would bring to the job. He knows the orbit the clerk’s office operates in, the local agencies and players involved and what good and timely public service looks like. As a longtime elected official, he also understands the accountability that comes from answering constituents’ concerns and complaints. The Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends Victor Crist in the Republican primary for Hillsborough Clerk of Court and Comptroller.
The recommendation process
Before making a recommendation, the Times Editorial Board asks candidates to fill out questionnaires and sit for an interview. The process can also include running criminal and civil background checks, interviewing candidates’ colleagues and employers, reviewing voting records and financial disclosures and examining their past and current positions on relevant issues.
Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. The members of the Editorial Board are Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, Sherri Day, Sebastian Dortch, John Hill, Jim Verhulst and Chairman and CEO Conan Gallaty.
Date: July 19, 2024