Michael Allbritton is officially running against incumbent Jerod Gross for the District 1 DeSoto County Commission seat. Born and raised in Arcadia, Allbritton is a watermelon farmer who previously challenged Gross in 2022 but was unsuccessful.
Allbritton emphasizes his connection to the community, describing himself as “one of the people” and stressing his approachability. “I want to keep that small-town feeling,” he said. “I want people to be able to call me and not be nervous because I am a servant of the people, not the county.”
At 54, Allbritton is focusing his campaign on improving infrastructure before further development. “We need the correct infrastructure in place before we start building all these subdivisions,” he said. “There is nowhere for all those kids to go to school.”
While he admires the current board members for their unique ideas, Allbritton advocates for a more deliberate approach to decision-making. “We need to backup, re-group and put the horse back in front of the carriage,” he said. “There is so much I would like to bring, but I am one of five people, so we need to work together and slow it down.”
In addition to infrastructure, Allbritton aims to encourage local property ownership and boost employment opportunities in Arcadia. He also sees a need for more affordable housing. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities in DeSoto County,” he said. “We need more places for people to work along with housing for them.”
Given DeSoto County’s strong agricultural presence, with many homes classified as A5 to A10, Allbritton wants to preserve the local farming community. “A lot of farmers are hobby farmers,” he said. “Several local businesses like feed stores depend on the hobby farmers.”
Protecting the Peace River is another priority for Allbritton. “If we build and pollute the river, people won’t come,” he said. “Thousands of people depend on the Peace River for drinking water.”
Having grown up in Arcadia, Allbritton values the town’s peaceful, natural environment and wants to preserve it. “We can grow and still have that same feeling,” he said. “People come here to experience what they don’t have at home — they come here to escape the rat race.”
The primary election is scheduled for August 20.
