INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Bob Solari survived a spirited challenge by two rivals to win re-election to the District 5 County Commission seat by a large margin. The final tally was Solari 14,825, Nick Thomas 5,631 and Brian Heady 6,138.
Solari, 60, a retired businessman, first won the seat in a three-way contest in 2008. He filed for reelection last fall and immediately began raising money.
Island attorney Nick Thomas, 50, was his first challenger, filing to run as a Republican in April. A Vero native, Thomas campaigned on restoring the Indian River Lagoon with an innovative plan to open a conduit for fresh ocean water at Bethel Creek and on stopping what he said was pork-barrel spending by Solari.
In June, right before the filing deadline, former Vero Beach City Councilman Brian Heady got into the race as the third Republican. He said he was running because “tax dollars need to be spent by government authorities for government purposes.”
Heady said Solari had spent millions foolishly for non-governmental purposes.
The campaign became heated as it progressed, with Thomas calling on Heady to exit the race to give him a clear shot at unseating Solari; Heady calling Thomas’s efforts to get him out “repulsive;” and Solari railing at what he considered was unfair treatment by the press.
Solari substantially out-raised his two opponents, taking in $56,303. Thomas raised $8,048 and Heady took in $4,291. All three candidates made up part of their totals with contributions to themselves.
District 5 includes the Barrier Island south of SR 510 and the mainland east of U.S. 1 south of 45th Street, encompassing the city of Indian River Shores, much of the city of Vero Beach and unincorporated areas south of Vero.
Candidates for the County Commission have to live in the district they run in but are elected at large by all county voters.
Since all three candidates are Republicans, Solari won the election by winning the primary.
