Fernandina Beach Politics is a ‘Blood Sport’ — And Potential Candidates Are Walking Away

By Mike Lednovich/Editor

COMMENTARY

Eight years ago, the late Suzanne Thamm told me something that has stayed with me ever since:

In Fernandina Beach, “local politics is a blood sport.”

Thamm, a respected historian and longtime writer for The Fernandina Observer who died last June, would not be surprised by the political landscape the city now finds itself in today.

She lived long enough to see a turning point — when nonpartisan city commission races began to shift away from debates over local issues and toward something far more corrosive: campaigns driven by personal attacks, ideological labeling, and smear tactics aimed at candidates’ lifestyles and perceived political identities rather than their positions on city matters.

That shift didn’t just change the tone of elections. It raised the stakes, escalated campaign costs, and made running for office a far more punishing experience.

Now, the consequences are becoming impossible to ignore.

There are two city commission seats on the ballot in Fernandina Beach.

Mayor James Antun is not seeking re-election. Former Vice Mayor Len Kreger and Shrimp Festival Chair Scott Inglis are competing for that seat.

Vice Mayor Darron Ayscue has filed to run again.

He is, so far, unopposed.

Three candidates. Two seats. And only weeks before qualifying closes.

Compare that to recent cycles: six candidates for three seats in 2024. Eight candidates for two seats in 2022. Eight again for three seats in 2020.

Something has changed — and not for the better.

Why would anyone of sound judgment willingly step into this environment?

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"In Fernandina local politics is a blood sport."

-Suanne Thamm

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The current recall effort targeting Commissioners Genece Minshew and Tim Poynter provides a clear answer.

At its core, the recall stems from a policy decision —the implementation of paid parking in the historic downtown. That is a legitimate issue. Voters can, and should, debate whether it was the right call.

But what has surrounded that issue is something very different.

The public conversation — particularly on social media and in local political circles — has not stayed focused on policy. Instead, it has frequently veered into personal territory: questioning motives, assigning hidden agendas, and portraying elected officials as acting in bad faith rather than engaging in a difficult policy decision.

This is not an isolated moment. It is the continuation of a pattern.

In 2022, The Observer documented repeated efforts by local Republican Party activists to frame candidates such as Minshew and Commissioner Joyce Tuten through a partisan lens in what are supposed to be nonpartisan elections. Messaging tied local candidates to broader national political narratives — often unrelated to the responsibilities of serving on a city commission.

That approach has since taken deeper root.

Today, potential candidates can look at local blogs and Facebook groups and see how quickly a campaign can turn personal. Policy disagreements are no longer enough. Narratives form rapidly — about who a candidate is, what they supposedly represent, and whose interests they are presumed to serve.

Those narratives are repeated, amplified, and hardened into perception.

This is the modern smear campaign — not always explicit, not always coordinated in a traditional sense, but effective, nonetheless.

And it works.

Because the goal is no longer just to win an argument. It is to discourage participation.

And it is succeeding.

Will Ayscue be challenged in seeking another term?

Fernandina Beach is not lacking in qualified, civic-minded residents. It is lacking in people willing to subject themselves — and their families —to a political environment where local service comes with the expectation of personal attack.

There is a difference between holding elected officials accountable and creating a climate where anyone who steps forward is immediately defined, labeled, and targeted.

We have crossed that line.

And the result is now visible in plain numbers: fewer candidates, less competition, and fewer choices for voters.

This is not about protecting incumbents or shielding public officials from criticism. Robust debate is essential. Disagreement is healthy. Accountability is necessary.

But when the debate shifts from “I disagree with your decision” to “you cannot be trusted,” or “you represent something larger and more dangerous,” the barrier to entry for public service rises sharply.

Most people, understandably, will choose not to cross it.

Suzanne Thamm saw this coming years ago.

What she described as a “blood sport” has only intensified — and until the community decides to change the tone, the trend will continue.

Two seats. Three candidates.

And a growing silence from those who have decided it simply isn’t worth it.

Editor's Note: 2026 QUALIFYING PERIOD

Begins: May 11, 2026: 8:00AM - Concludes: May 15, 2026: 5 p.m. Pursuant to Resolution 2025-88, the 2026 election cycle qualifying period is May 11 - May 15, 2026.