Four months ago, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs was engaged in what Orlando political analyst Frank Torres described as a two-front war.
On one flank, Jacbos was being challenged by Democrat Val Demings, who at first glance, appeared as if she could unseat Jacobs. Demings was receiving support from not only the Florida Democratic Party, but also from local Republican business interests.
On the other front, Jacobs was engaged in a cold war with former state Representative Chris Dorworth and his assorted allies throughout the region, including former legislator Steve Precourt and Expressway Authority board members Steve Batterson and Marco Pena. In one tweet, Dorworth said, “I’m really looking forward to welcoming Teresa Jacobs to my “Defeated Elected Officials ” club, while Precourt accused Jacobs of backdoor dealings to keep him from winning the Executive Director position at the OOCEA.
As late as February, it looked as if Jacobs would be overrun in at least one, if not two, of these battles. Yet today, Jacobs is the resounding winner on all fronts.
As Torres sums it up on his blog, “If you’ve been a public opponent of Jacobs, then over the last 30 days, you’ve either been indicted or have dropped off the face of the planet altogether.”
Jacobs has won so decisively that Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times should declare her his Winner of the Week in Florida politics.
