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Pat Frank wins nomination in Hillsborough clerk race

 
Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court Pat Frank hi-fives Greg Dartez, 45, during her election watch party at the Hilton Downtown Tampa on Tuesday. Frank, 86, won the Democratic primary against rival Kevin Beckner, 45, an outgoing county commissioner, in what was one of the most contentious races of the primary season. She will face Republican Eric Seidel, a former local TV news reporter, in November's general election. [ANDRES LEIVA   |   Times]
Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court Pat Frank hi-fives Greg Dartez, 45, during her election watch party at the Hilton Downtown Tampa on Tuesday. Frank, 86, won the Democratic primary against rival Kevin Beckner, 45, an outgoing county commissioner, in what was one of the most contentious races of the primary season. She will face Republican Eric Seidel, a former local TV news reporter, in November's general election. [ANDRES LEIVA | Times]
Published Aug. 31, 2016

TAMPA — Incumbent Pat Frank won a resounding victory over challenger Kevin Beckner Tuesday night in a costly, contentious Democratic primary for Hillsborough County clerk.

With all precincts reporting, Frank had a lead of nearly 18 percentage points.

She cited "the confidence the people have in the job I have been doing" as a reason for her wide margin of victory. The tumultuous tenor of the race was "very, very unusual," she said.

"The people were given a choice and they've spoken," said Beckner, adding he would not endorse or campaign for Frank in the general election.

The two candidates spent more than $330,000 combined to win their party's nod for a job paying $159,980 a year and overseeing the county court system, investments and checkbook, and maintaining many county records.

Frank will take on Republican Eric Seidel, a former local TV news reporter.

In his aggressive campaign to unseat Frank, Beckner, 45, spent $200,000.

He pounded mailboxes with fliers that depicted Frank, 86, as an absentee clerk who once opposed President Barack Obama, criticisms that he echoed on the campaign trail.

Frank raised about $135,000 and spent all but $5,000 in her efforts to fend off Beckner. She relied on her name recognition and relative stability during her time as clerk to convince voters that she deserved a fourth term.

Frank was first elected to the Hillsborough County School Board in 1972. She went on to Tallahassee, where she was a state representative and a senator. In 1998, she was elected to the County Commission and served six years until running for clerk.

Her primary against Beckner was easily one of the toughest political challenges of her career, and it came during a difficult year for Frank. Her daughter and political confidant, Stacy Frank, died of lung cancer in June at age 61.

Beckner, the first openly gay county commissioner, championed key human rights victories, including new protections for LGBT workers and the return of Hillsborough's participation in gay pride events, despite facing a Republican-controlled board.

But his decision to run against Frank irked many of her influential longtime allies in the party, and he further angered them when he attacked Frank's attendance record just weeks after the death of Stacy Frank.

Beckner was first elected to a commission seat in 2008.

Times staff writer Steve Contorno contributed to this report.