In this week’s Politics column, find out where GOP state Senate primary rivals Lizbeth Benacquisto and Sharon Merchant stand on the abortion ultrasound bill. Find out what motivated disgraced former Palm Beach County commissioner Warren Newell to break out the typewriter. Also, Mary Brandenburg on the West Palm Beach mayor’s poll and Michelle Damone on why she hasn’t filed against Commissioner Jess Santamaria.

Michael E. Jackson, the runner-up to eventual Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria in a 2006 Democratic primary, said today he’s planning to run for Santamaria’s District 6 seat this year whether or not the incumbent decides to seek reelection.

Jackson, 44, is a former South Bay commissioner and city manager and former regional service director for the South Florida Water Management District. Now a consultant, he was tapped by Santamaria as a “liaison” between the county government and Glades and received $184,485 from the county over three years for his services.

Santamaria has described himself as torn over whether to seek a second term. He says he loves half his job, but “the other 50 percent is a total waste of time on a lot of nonsense, minutia, insignificant issues, having to listen to people who love to (hear) themselves talk during meetings, too many social events, ribbon cuttings, etc., etc., etc.”

Indian Trail Improvement District President Michelle Damone, also a Democrat, appears to be leaning toward a run as well. Democrat Elissa Pearl opened a campaign for the seat last year but hasn’t been visible on the campaign trail and has said she won’t run if Santamaria does.

Santamaria won a four-candidate Democratic primary in 2006 with 42.1 percent. Jackson got 24.9 percent to finish second. Santamaria then won the general election with 58.5 percent over Republican John Carroll and no-party candidate Penny “The Acreage’ Riccio.

Jackson said he picked up candidate papers today and plans to file them Monday.

If Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria decides to run for reelection despite his complaints that half his job is a “waste of time,” he could face a Democratic primary challenge from Indian Trail Improvement District President Michelle Damone.

Damone was among the elected officials who attended last week’s Tallahassee meeting on cancer concerns in The Acreage — a meeting Santamaria skipped because it didn’t include face time with Gov. Charlie Crist.

“He should have been here. It was disappointing,” Damone said of Santamaria.

Read more in this week’s Politics column.