By Citrus County Independence | August 18, 2026
The ballots have been counted, and Citrus County voters have made their choices.
At Citrus County Independence, we believe the end of an election should also mean the end of campaigning against one another and the beginning of something more important: serving the community.
Our purpose here isn’t to tell you whether you should agree with Tuesday’s winners. It isn’t to search their pasts for something embarrassing or begin their service by looking for reasons they might fail.
We’d rather introduce them.
These are our neighbors who put their names on a ballot, asked the public for its trust, and prevailed. Each brings a different background, different experiences and different ideas to the table.
There will be plenty of time for CCI to ask questions and hold government accountable.
Today, we’d like to congratulate the winners and learn a little more about what they bring to Citrus County.
Stacey Worthington — County Commission District 2
Stacey Worthington prevailed in an extraordinarily close contest against incumbent Commissioner Diana Finegan, receiving 19,231 votes to Finegan’s 18,842 — a difference of just 389 votes.
Worthington is a Citrus County native and Crystal River High School graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Leo College. She and her husband own Worthington A/C & Heating in Homosassa.
Her community experience includes leadership with the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce and Citrus County Building Alliance, as well as service on the county’s Planning and Development Commission.
Worthington has identified infrastructure, public safety, support for local businesses and fiscal responsibility among her priorities.
Perhaps one of the most interesting attributes she brings to the Commission is persistence. Worthington previously sought this office in 2022, lost, remained involved in the community and returned to the voters four years later.
CCI congratulates Stacey Worthington and looks forward to hearing how she plans to use that experience to represent all Citrus County residents.
Holli Herndon — County Commission District 4
Holli Herndon prevailed in the three-way District 4 contest, receiving 17,262 votes, or 45.52%. Incumbent Commissioner Rebecca Bays received 13,785 votes, while Jennifer Holly Grogan received 6,877.
This was Herndon’s first run for public office.
Herndon has spent more than 15 years working in public education and workforce development. Her experience includes classroom teaching, curriculum and leadership support, career and technical education, and school-district program development.
She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and, with her husband, operates a local plumbing business and helped establish Peer Leaders in Engineering, a Citrus County nonprofit that introduces young people to practical skills and trades.
During the campaign, Herndon emphasized fiscal accountability, infrastructure planning, responsible growth, protection of natural resources and greater transparency in county government.
A first-time candidate defeating an incumbent is a significant accomplishment. It also means transitioning quickly from campaigning about government to participating in government.
CCI congratulates Holli Herndon and looks forward to hearing how she intends to make that transition and work with fellow commissioners whose views may sometimes differ from her own.
Mike Mullen — Citrus County School Board District 3
Mike Mullen won the nonpartisan District 3 School Board contest with 23,535 votes, or 63.43%, to John Thrumston’s 13,569 votes.
Mullen brings an unusually broad background in public education.
During a 35-year career, he has worked in roles ranging from school custodian and maintenance helper to school-bus driver, classroom teacher, coach and administrator.
Before his education career, Mullen earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Arts and Technology and served as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
That variety of experience means Mullen has seen public education from perspectives that don’t always make it into a School Board meeting — including the classroom, transportation, maintenance, athletics and administration.
CCI congratulates Mike Mullen and wishes him success representing Citrus County’s students, parents, educators, employees and taxpayers.
We also hope to speak with him about something CCI intends to explore further: practical civic literacy for Citrus County students.
Nicole M. Morris — Fifth Judicial Circuit, Group 27
The Group 27 Circuit Judge race was different from the county contests because the Fifth Judicial Circuit includes multiple counties.
Citrus County voters actually favored Lisa Yeager, who received 20,751 Citrus votes to Nicole Morris’s 15,959. However, the winner is determined by voters throughout the Fifth Judicial Circuit, and Morris prevailed circuitwide.
Morris has practiced on both sides of Florida’s criminal justice system, with experience as both a prosecutor and public defender. She has also served as Chief Assistant Public Defender in Citrus County.
Experience from opposing sides of a courtroom can provide a valuable perspective when moving to the bench, where the responsibility changes from advocating for one side to applying the law fairly and impartially.
CCI congratulates Nicole Morris and wishes her wisdom, fairness and sound judgment in her service on the bench.
Winning the Election Is the Beginning
Campaigns naturally emphasize differences.
Government requires something else.
Once someone takes office, the people who voted against them don’t disappear. They remain neighbors, taxpayers and constituents entitled to the same representation as everyone else.
That’s why CCI hopes to invite each of our local winners to participate in an interview.
We’re not interested in a “gotcha” interview.
We don’t want dirt.
We’d rather ask questions like:
Now that you have a seat at the table, are you prepared to represent all Citrus County residents — including those who didn’t vote for you?
Local government requires compromise. How will you work with people who disagree with you to reach decisions you believe are best for Citrus County?
At the end of your term, what would need to be different in Citrus County for you to consider your service successful?
And then we’d like to listen.
CCI will ask questions when questions need asking. We’ll examine votes, budgets and decisions. We’ll disagree when disagreement is warranted.
But we’re also pulling for every one of these people to succeed.
Because when an elected official succeeds at genuinely serving the people, Citrus County succeeds.
Our position is simple:
We aren’t on your team.
We aren’t against your team.
We’re on Citrus County’s team — and we sincerely hope you are too.
— Citrus County Independence