That part of the Panhandle is quite capable of making their wishes stick. The Sheriff there IS the highest law enforcement officer in their county, and both the public and the Sheriff know it.
Hopefully, the rest of America will observe, then follow suit.
I was assigned to Eglin in the early 879s and took my 21 foot cuddy cabin inboard-outboard through the pass to troll for king mackerel with my son. Good times.