Port of Palm Beach Group 5: Deandre Poole outdistances Varisa Dass in Democratic primary
Despite being vastly outspent by his chief opponent, Deandre Poole handily defeated Varisa Dass in the Democratic primary election Tuesday for a vacant seat on the Palm Beach County Port Commission.
Poole will now face off against Republican Roderick Oliver Clarke in the November general election.
With 284 out of 286 precincts reporting, Poole garnered nearly 51 percent of the vote, versus 33 percent for Dass. Finishing well behind Poole, a Florida Atlantic University communications studies instructor, and Dass, an attorney, was Mike Whalen with nearly 16 percent. Write-in candidate Sabrina Young received no votes.
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Dass, 38, received $55,026 in campaign contributions, including $16,025 in loans from her. That was more than double the $21,725 that Poole, 41, raised.
Dass spent nearly four times as much as Poole — $53,475 to $13,794. More than $40,000 of her expenditures were to Patriot Games Consulting in Wellington – more than two-thirds of that money was spent in the waning days of the campaign.
“I worked hard. It was a grass roots campaign” of knocking on doors, making phone calls and sending texts, Poole said. He added that people wanted to meet somebody who would represent their community. “That’s not something I take lightly. There were so many people rooting for me.”
Dass said, “Obviously his message resonated with voters.” She added, “I’m really proud of the campaign that we ran and I am so excited for my opponent. I congratulate him and I know he will do a great job serving our community as the next port commissioner.”
Dass and Poole both said during their campaigns that the port must find ways to maximize and find more space in order to attract new tenants. More than $14 million worth of commodities move annually through the 165-acre port in Riviera Beach, generating $260 million in business revenue and $12 million in state and federal taxes.
The Port of Palm Beach is the fourth busiest of Florida’s 14 deepwater container ports. Its five commissioners meet monthly and earn $12,500.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Election night: Deandre Poole wins Group 5 Democratic Primary for Port
