New Tampa Voters Discuss Their Selections

If you ask Bob Darby, Newt Gingrich is the man — seasoned and a bit of an “historian.”

“I think he knows the world better,” Darby said.

With the polls open for several hours now, New Tampa Patch put its feet on the street to pick the brains of voters at the , one of several polling locations in the 33647 ZIP code.

Hunter’s Green resident Kevin Oliver rode his Cannondale bicycle six miles to make his selection for Mitt Romney. There is nothing specific that swayed Oliver's choice.

“I just like him,” he said of Romney. “He is better than what’s out there.”

Oliver said he tries to get out the vote during every election. “I don’t think I’ve ever missed one,” he said.

Tampa Palms resident Dan Novisk was at the library today but didn’t vote. The registered Republican took advantage of early voting instead.

“I used to be a Democrat, but I switched parties just prior to the Obama election,” he said.

Novisk said he voted for Gingrich but if Romney wins, he will support him in the general election. He said he has been “extremely” unhappy with President Barack Obama.

“He has done the opposite of he said he was going to go,” Novisk said. “It seems Obama has spent more time on Air Force One than in the White House.”

But other voters were tight-lipped about their primary selections.

“May I ask you about your vote?” a reporter asked one woman.

“It was easy,” she said simply.

“Can I ask you who you voted for?”

“No,” she said with a smile while walking away.

Want to vote, too? You still have time. The polls are open in Hillsborough County until 7 p.m. If you don’t know your precinct, enter your address here or view a list of polling places on votehillsborough.org.