Daytona Beach, FL - The current Volusia County School Board Chairwoman announces that she's now in the running to keep her spot in District 2, while an assistant public defender looks to climb up to the main position.
Ida Wright was the first on the Marc Bernier Show yesterday afternoon (January 20th) to discuss her reelection bid for District 2, a spot she actually didn't intend to run for again.
"I came on because I know I was adamant with you and some others that I was not seeking reelection," Wright said to Bernier.
According to Wright, she originally planned on taking two years off after her term ran out. But, sometime between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons, a group of teachers and administrators heard Wright on a previous episode of the Bernier Show that she was not running. After hearing the news, they reached out to her to reconsider.
"They contacted me in reference to reconsidering. And after talking to my family, I decided I would reconsider," Wright said. "I was kind of surprised by the teachers and administrators because you never know where you sit with the people you represent."
That now leaves the running with three candidates: Anita Burnette, Marcey Kinney and now Wright. Wright also mentioned in her interview that she reached out to the other candidates. Bernier also asked Wright about something he had heard regarding a candidate dropping out if she ran for reelection, which Wright confirmed.
After Wright came Matt Metz – assistant public defender/felony division chief and son of Daytona business owner Pete Metz and WESH 2's Claire Metz – who is running for a public defender spot with the 7th Judicial Circuit.
Metz, a Florida State University alumnus, got his start shortly after graduating cum laude after public defender James Purdy offered him a job two weeks out of law school as a full-time intern. He said that his work included 40 hours a week as an intern while studying for the Bar exam on nights and weekends. After passing the Bar on his first try and jumped in as a misdemeanor attorney.
According to Metz, over time he began to climb the ranks at the Daytona Beach Public Defenders Office before he became the felony division chief.
"I supervise approximately 13 other felony attorneys," said Metz. "I also have a caseload myself that ranges from 100 to 130 cases at any given time."
So far, Metz is just one of the candidates running for the spot held by James Purdy, who is set to retire at the end of his term this year. For more information on Matt Metz, you can also visit his website (click here.)
