John Thrasher, Deborah Gianoulis, stake claims at Beaches in Florida Senate race | jacksonville.com

Both candidates in the state Senate District 8 race share the same views on issues such as protecting tourism and the environment, and they both call the Beaches area home turf.

But they're vastly different.

Incumbent John Thrasher, a St. Augustine Republican and longtime politician, says he's endeared himself to the Beaches because he's received massive party support from the GOP-heavy area.

Challenger Deborah Gianoulis, a Democrat, has lived at the Beaches for about three decades, currently in Ponte Vedra Beach. And she's a newcomer to politics, although, as a former TV anchorwoman, she's a familiar face.

The coastal Senate district sprawls from the Georgia line south into areas of Volusia County, extending inland in some areas. Both candidates rate the Duval and St. Johns counties' Beaches areas as essential to winning the election Tuesday, Nov. 2.

"It's very important," said Thrasher, noting he has key connections to the Beaches, such as former Jacksonville City Councilman Art Graham who's been appointed to the Florida Public Service Commission. "We have a lot of friends at the Beaches."

Gianoulis said not only does she have Beaches friends, it's been her home for 34 years, going back to when she lived in Atlantic Beach before moving to Ponte Vedra.

"I rate the Beaches as extremely high. It's my hometown," said Gianoulis, adding she's raised a family and done business most of her adult life at the Beaches. "That's my community."

While Gianoulis can claim the Beaches as her literal hometown, Thrasher said he's had a home-field advantage there in recent elections thanks to GOP dominance near the shoreline. No Democrat even ran against Thrasher when he won the Senate seat in a special election in September 2009.

The Republican tilt at the Beaches is undeniable. Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach had 14,084 registered in the September election, and the Democrats had 9,695. A total of 6,450 voters have no party affiliation. Ponte Vedra Beach has also long had an overwhelming Republican majority.

The GOP was so emboldened that party leaders opened a Beaches Republican bureau in Jacksonville Beach shortly after Thrasher's victory.

Thrasher, the former Florida House Speaker and chairman of the Republican Party, said the weight of Republicans at the Beaches can't hurt, but he's aiming for more than Beaches Republicans.

"I intend to represent everybody," he said. "I think when you talk about the natural resources of our oceans and our beaches, it's not so much a moderate or liberal or conservative point of view, it's making sure that we do what we can to protect those areas."

Gianoulis has never held or even run for elective office. But about three decades of air time on WJXT TV-4 bring instant name recognition.

She also represents a welcome chance for the Democratic Party. Former Duval County Democratic Executive Committee member Jim Minion complained last fall that the party virtually gave up on the Beaches, not only in the Senate race, but in the race for the Jacksonville City Council Beaches seat. Minion said it was time for a new leader and better Democratic candidates along the coast.

Gianoulis was hesitant to call herself that "new leader" for Democrats at the Beaches. But she's gained high profile attention and has gotten support from the likes of Delores Barr Weaver, wife of Jacksonville Jaguars majority owner Wayne Weaver. She hosted a fundraiser for Gianoulis at the J. Johnson Gallery in Jacksonville Beach in September, and the turnout was better than expected.

"Democrats were dissuaded in the same way people tried to dissuade me from running," Gianoulis said. "But I just don't believe that we live in a static world.

"I don't see myself as a start of anything. I see myself as being willing to offer my candidacy as a choice," she said.

Fundraising for both candidates has been brisk since Thrasher won the September primary.

Thrasher's campaign reported a haul of $98,850 cash from Sept. 11 through 24, collected from 210 contributions.

Gianoulis reported 431 donations resulting in $78,057 cash.

Both candidates have also received a large amount of in-kind support from their political parties. Thrasher received $22,400 in polling services paid for by the Republican Party of Florida.

Gianoulis received $44,000 in support from the Florida Democratic Party, mainly campaign staff.

The candidates share similar views on the environment and tourism as they apply to the Beaches area and both are ardent supporters of the offshore oil drilling ban along Florida's coastline. They each said that, in light of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico this year, there's no reason to lift the ban.

In terms of appeal along the coast, Thrasher said he has the experience and knowledge of what's important to the area and that a new candidate won't shake his belief that he's the person best prepared for the job.

"I take every opponent seriously," Thrasher said. "When I ran in the primary last time, between the two or three opponents last year and the personal injury trial lawyers, I had about $3 million spent against me.

"I don't really look at her [Gianoulis] as much as I look at what are people interested in hearing from their candidates," Thrasher said. "I'm familiar with having opponents from Ponte Vedra, that's fine. I got a lot of friends down there, too."

Gianoulis said she's approaching the challenge to Thrasher in realistic terms. But she said she offers a real choice for change that will best serve the Beaches.

"I would never say I'm confident. I believe in what I'm hearing, that my message is resonating," Gianoulis said. "We believe in a grassroots campaign. ... I can't expect to out-raise him [Thrasher], but I doubt he can outwork me.

"I believe that we have a great start at the Beaches in good quality public schools and I do not want to see that threatened," Gianoulis said shortly after a tour of Ponte Vedra High School on Friday. "The reason I want to go to Tallahassee is not because I want to leave the Beach. ... I want to bring Beaches ideas to Tallahassee, not the other way around."