PANAMA CITY BEACH — Josie Strange knocked on 1,711 doors on crutches while campaigning to keep her seat on the Panama City Beach Council.
It was a feat she said was well worth it as the election results came in Tuesday night.
The incumbent beat out opponent Skip Alford for the Ward 3 seat with 56 percent of the vote, receiving 686 of the 1,232 votes cast.
Strange spent most of the day Tuesday campaigning outside the polling place at Frank Brown Park and said she was confident in her ability to take the election.
“The majority of the people that came through were giving me the thumbs up, and there were so many people that came by,” Strange said. “Money is never going to win a race; you have to go out and talk to the people one on one.”
Although Alford, the director of membership development at the Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce, garnered more monetary contributions through fundraising and spent more on his campaign, it was not enough to knock down his opponent.
Alford received nearly $35,000 in contributions, while Strange’s campaign report outlines $20,000 in self-funded contributions. Overall, Alford spent $21,700 campaigning, about twice as much as Strange’s $10,800.
Alford watched the election results roll in alongside supporters at Harpoon Harry’s on Tuesday night and said he was disappointed in the loss.
“We ran a clean, hard, good campaign. … The people have spoken,” Alford said. “We pray that Ms. Strange will live up to her word and do what she says over the next four years.”
With the election over, Strange said her goal on the council is to work toward attracting a different kind of visitor to Panama City Beach and clean up issues surrounding Spring Break.
“Now that the residents have spoken, I’d like to see the city become a destination where families, retirees and well-behaved spring breakers want to come down and spend money,” Strange said, thanking the residents for their support. “I’ll do everything I can in the next four years to represent you and your concerns.”