They differ in education, age and experience but the differences between District 3 Charlotte County Commission candidates Percy Angelo, 63, and Robert Skidmore, 26, actually go much deeper.

Angelo, a Democrat, is a Sudoku fan, a Bruce Springsteen fan and loves old cars.  For years, she drove a 1961 Chrysler Convertible with a radio that looked like a jukebox.  "Our son has it now," she said. "Beautiful car."

Skidmore, a Republican, collects stuffed elephants, describes himself as a policy nerd, and loves baseball.  His goal is to visit every presidential library and see a baseball game in all 29 major league stadiums.

He is proud, he said, to have met all living presidents and enjoys presidential trivia. For example, he knows that Nixon gave out cigarettes on Air Force One, but George H. W. Bush gave out M & Ms.  "Whether you agree or not with their policies, they're still human beings and they have their own quirks," he said.

Skidmore is an "exciting, energetic and talented young man" who knows the ins and outs of the political system and will advocate for all Charlotte County residents, according to Frank Weikel, Vice Chairman of the Charlotte County Republican Executive Committee who served as a Charlotte County Commissioner from 1996 to 2000.

Angelo is a "fabulous candidate" who will bring intelligence and solutions to the commission and to Charlotte County's budget woes, according to Joan Fischer, president of the Charlotte County Democratic Club.

"We need someone who's smart there to solve the problems of where all the money is going," Fischer said.