- April 19, 2024
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A new candidate for Ormond Beach City Commission Zone 2 has emerged, and this one bears a resemblance to one of the nation's forefathers.
Lew Welge has been an Abraham Lincoln reenactor for 22 years — or a score and two years, as he puts it. A Volusia County resident since 1987, Welge, a retired school guidance counselor, filed to run on April 8, becoming the second candidate hoping to be elected in the open seat come November. He is running against Travis Sargent.
"I've been a hardworking person all of my life and I really desire to be of help and to be a public servant," Welge said.
He has never held public office before — though he did run for the Duval County School Board in 2020 — but Welge said that he, like Lincoln, is ambitious in that regard. Standing at 6 feet, 8 inches tall, he has visited schools, attended local community events and performances dressed as the 16th U.S. president.
"Like Lincoln, I try to infuse humor in just about every response I give," he said. "People say, 'Why do you do this? What's your purpose?' I say, 'Well, why do I do it? Because I can.'"
It's a mindset he's bringing to his campaign. Why not run?
He hopes to be accessible to his fellow Zone 2 residents and said, as a former counselor, he considers listening to be more important than talking. His campaign will take on more of a grassroots approach, he explained, with a focus on canvassing and walking the neighborhoods.
"I'm a lifelong learner," Welge said. "So I want to learn about our whole city, not just Zone 2. As a native Floridian, I'm open to learning."
A third candidate has also emerged to represent Zone 4, also an open seat come November. Robert Vaeth filed to run on April 11; he declined to speak with the Observer.
Vaeth is running against Harold Briley and Brian Nave.
