Orange City race rocked by remarks on ethnicity

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting...

The incumbent's criticism of his Indian-born opponent in a City Council contest raises eyebrows and stirs reaction.

During a candidate's forum and again in an interview with an Orlando Sentinel staff writer, Seat 4 incumbent Don Sherrill criticized challenger Tom Abraham.

Sherrill derided Abraham's accent at a political forum hosted and videotaped by the John Knox Village retirement community Oct. 12.

"I don't know what to rebut because I don't understand what he was saying, and I don't mean that facetiously, I really don't understand him," Sherrill, who wears a hearing aid, told the group of about 40 people.

He added that when Abraham speaks at city meetings, council members are "baffled" by what he says.

In a later interview with the Sentinel, Sherrill said that residents would not vote for Abraham if they saw and heard him.

"I'm usually not prejudiced, but I don't want an Indian in my government," Sherrill said.

"As far as I know he could be a nice guy, but these kind of people get embedded over here. . . . You remember 9-11."

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Council member Chuck Abell, a Sherrill supporter, reacted with disbelief. Abell said he did not condone "that type of comment," though he agreed Abraham is difficult to understand -- so much so that Abell has asked for transcripts of council meetings at which Abraham has addressed the council.