2018 Political Jamboree
Every two years, during the summer of an election year, the county GOP hosts a “Jamboree” – an old fashioned political picnic for candidates on the upcoming ballot to introduce themselves to the party activists. With a barbecue lunch under the pavilion roof, surrounded by covered booths hosted by candidates and political clubs, it is gathering place for the GOP faithful and those who seek to represent them at all levels of government.
Upper row from left: Dave Cummings (CD18), Javier Manjarres (CD22), John Joseph Mercadante (Governor), Ashley Moody (Attorney General), Sid Dinerstein (Moderator), Lower row from left: Belinda Keiser (FS25), Matt Spritz (FH89), Mike Caruso (FH89), Scott Singer (Boca Mayor), Al Zucaro (Boca Mayor)After remarks by county chairman (and RPOF vice-chair) Michael Barnett, and state committee reps Cindy Tindell and Joe Budd, master of Ceremonies Sid Dinerstein introduced the candidates.
The only state-wide candidates present were Attorney General candidate Ashley Moody who listed her impressive resume and endorsements which include current AG Pam Bondi, and John Mercadante – a long-shot candidate for Governor with lots of enthusiasm.
In CD18, incumbent Brian Mast has drawn a couple of primary challengers, mostly as a result of his controversial stance on gun control which is perceived as a vulnerability. Dave Cummings spoke and presented himself as a conservative in support of the Trump agenda. The winner of this primary will face one of two well-funded Democrats in a race that has drawn national interest.
CD22 was represented by candidate Javier Manjarres who is facing Nicholas Kimaz (who was at the event but left before speaking), and Eddison Walters. The winner will face entrenched Democrat Ted Deutch (who has a long shot primary challenger in Jeff Fandl) in this D+14 district.
For state legislative offices, Belinda Keiser spoke. She is competing with current House member Gayle Harrell for the Senate 25 seat vacated by Joe Negron. The winner will face Democrat Robert Levy in the fall.
For House district 89, vacated by term limited Bill Hager, competitors Matt Spritz and Joe Caruso spoke. The winner of that race will face one of two Democrats in November.
At the city level, we had Boca acting mayor Scott Singer and his opponent BocaWatch founder Al Zucaro. Municipal elections are usually in March, but the departure of indicted former Mayor Susan Haynie prompted a special election to be held coincident with the August primary.
This year, the number of candidates was fewer than past years (9 versus 19 in 2016 and 14 in 2014), partly due to a lack of challengers overall, and partly from the absence of Republican candidates that are running. CD18 incumbent Brian Mast and challenger Mark Freeman were absent, for example. This year there are NO Republicans running for open seats on the school board, Port Commission, or County Commission districts 2 or 6.
DeSantis Rocks Trump National
On Saturday, Republican candidate for Governor Ron DeSantis appeared at Trump National in Jupiter with “The Great One” Mark Levin, Fox pundit Dan Bongino, and CD1 Congressman Matt Gaetz. The large crowd was welcoming and enthusiastic, and possibly indicative of a surge in popularity for his candidacy. With some polls showing that the double digit lead held by Adam Putnam has waned, Ron appears to be making the most of his endorsement by President Trump, and has begun to define his value proposition as governor.
Ron has had support among the tea party grassroots since before his election to the sixth congressional district seat (Coastal from south Jacksonville to New Symrna Beach including Daytona Beach) in 2012. A tea party conservative, he is a key player in the House Freedom Caucus. I have long been a fan of his work in Congress, repealing Obamacare, opposing the Iran deal, and pushing for oversight of the corruption at the top levels of the Justice Department and FBI. His candidacy for Governor though, had seemed to be weak.
For the most part, Ron had seemed to be touting his Congressional bona-fides, and his campaign literature and fund raising appeals seemed more a call for Congressional re-election than a bid for the top executive job in the third largest state. A line of attack from the Putnam camp is that he is running his campaign on Fox News (Ron is a regular), has never held an executive job, and knows little about the Florida issues outside of Washington.
It was a different message we heard on Saturday. First, his surrogates described his work in DC as just as much “Florida Issues” as national ones. Health care, Immigration, tax cuts and de-regulation to boost the economy – these are all things that concern us within the state’s borders.
When Ron took the podium, he brought the focus back locally. Water issues and toxic algae, sanctuary cities and immigration, these are state issues, as is opposing common core and introducing civics back into the K-12 curriculum. He drew a sharp contrast to Adam Putnam on Sugar money (he doesn’t take it), ethanol mandates (Putnam opposed a measure to stop the measures that were harming the marine industry), and Congressional term limits (Putnam opposed).
Although his website is still short on specifics, he seems to be holding his own on the issues with Putnam and referred the audience to the Fox News debate between them last month, which he feels he won.
On the Democrat side, Jeff Greene seems to be developing a lead. With the money he plans to put in the race, a unified GOP will be needed to hold on to the Governor seat. DeSantis and Putnam are both credible candidates, but a tightening race may see the race turn negative. Let’s hope not.
At the end of the day, the Trump factor may make the difference. The President has endorsed DeSantis, and praised his work with the Freedom Caucus. There is evidence that Putnam has never really been a Trump fan. We will see how much weight that carries in Florida.
Bill Bone Saving Limbs Ride
Congressional Update from Brian Mast
Sunday brunch at Grandes Bella Cucina featured district 18 Congressman Brian Mast, fresh from a great week in DC where he attended the White House event for Wounded Warriors. Regarding President Trump he said “You can see the love in his eyes” as he gave hugs to the wounded veterans.
In his update, Brian mentioned some good things in the farm bill – specifically the work requirement for welfare, and the provision that each welfare program must be applied for separately. (Currently, one enrollment gets you approved for all of them). It will be decided on a party line vote of course.
He mentioned that the Congressional office in the VA Hospital is now open for business, ready to receive veterans who want to discuss issues.
Attending a tech conference in Miami, Brian observed journalist John Harwood raising the issue of the so-called impending “blue wave”. Brian thought this was a bad question as it only addresses party and not policy. (You may remember John Harwood as the moderator of the Republican primary debate where the candidates got so fed up with his bias that they ignored him for most of the evening and asked each other questions :-). There will be no blue wave said Brian confidently. With the tax bill and improving economy we will do quite well.
During a brief question and answer session, Brian addressed Brightline (he challenged their tax exempt bonds in a committee hearing), and problems with getting legislation through the Senate.
Regarding the fact that he is facing a primary challenge, he responded “this is not my seat, anyone can run against me if they wish.” Brian will face Dr. Mark Freeman and Dave Cummings in the August Republican Primary.
Former CIA Agents to Speak at RCPB
ARE YOU CAPTIVATED by ESPIONAGE? Do you read Spy Novels? Real Life INTRIGUE ? (Ted Bell, Daniel Silva, Nelson DeMille, Ken Follett, John le Carre’)
Bring your Friends May 23 to hear from TWO former CIA secret agents who have walked the walk and lived the life for 10 years—- Joseph and Michele Rigby Assad—who met in school in central Florida, graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic College, finished graduate studies at Georgetown, Washington DC, and were sent by the CIA after 9-11 to countries whose names had to be redacted from Michele’s book, “BREAKING COVER”, for protection.
On May 23, the Republican Club of the Palm Beaches will host these two former agents, authors of “Breaking Cover”, at the Holiday Inn Airport. All members of RCNPB are invited.
Joseph and Michele Rigby Assad
Former CIA Authors of “Breaking Cover”
For more information, and to RSVP please click here.
Brian Mast to Speak at April Brunch
Ken Abramowitz at March Brunch
Los Tres Amigos 2018
Los Tres Amigos, for the third year running, were the highlights of our February meeting at Grande’s Bella Cucina.
Michael Barnett, PBCGOP Chair and vice chair of RPOF, was fresh from his recent Oval Office visit for the Black History Month event, where he rubbed elbows with Herman Cain, Alveda King and others.
The county GOP is in great shape he reported, raising lots of money. Lincoln Day was sold out in December, even without announced speakers, but it will be a great lineup. Sarah Palin will be the headliner, with guests Diamond and Silk, James O’Keefe, and Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA.
Michael gave us an update on outreach activities and reported that the local Haitian community is still supporting the President, in spite of media attempts to drive a wedge over alleged comments, because he keeps his promises. The Puerto Rican evacuees – estimated at over 300,000 and settling around the I4 corridor from Osceola to Hillsborough counties, are a toss-up. About 90% are expected to settle permanently and many have registered to vote – but there are more Independent registrations than either Democrat or Republican. The African American community is harder, but Trump carried a larger percentage of that group than a typical Republican and the Economy will help in the 2018 election cycle.
Next up was attorney James D’Loughy, who (with Sid as plaintiff) is suing Palm Beach Gardens over the misleading ballot questions for the March election. James was a city council candidate in 2013, jumping into the race to speak out about dirty politics, and one of the driving forces that put term limits on the ballot in 2014. That measure passed with 80% of the vote and all 5 current council members were able to run and win because of it. Now that same council has decided that they really want more terms than permitted, and want to be able to run again when their limits are up – a measure that they have placed on the March ballot to “let the voters decide”. The city is using large amounts of taxpayer money to promote a YES vote on the four questions in a misleading way – part of the reason for the lawsuit. James suggests you vote NO on all four questions.
The third “Amigo” was former County GOP Chairman Sid Dinerstein, whose topic was “Honey, I shrunk the Dems!”
Invoking the “Gretsky Rule” (go to where the puck will be …), Sid was very upbeat about the 2018 and 2020 elections. “I’d run with a 4% GDP growth anytime.”
He believes that 80% of the 2020 votes are already “cast” – they were locked in with the Carrier Deal in December 2016, especially in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Dems have become the “no jobs” party and have shown they will not stand up for the working man in those states.
In 2018, he thinks Brian Mast will win by 20 points. The national Democrats listed CD18 as a target race, but only because it is a closely divided district (by registration) and he does not think they will pour money into it as there are other districts where the pickings are better. He then listed many of the things which have made the Democrats weak and shrinking:
- Voter Fraud – a foundation of their strategy, will be less effective because we are talking about it and the fraudsters will keep their heads down.
- Good Help – the association with Black Lives Matters, Antifa and other groups of paid, professional thugs
- MS-13 and Sanctuary Cities – Trump is leading on these issues and Obama was absent
- The NFL – stupidity on many levels
- Political correctness – New York has renamed Columbus Day, “Indigenous People’s Day” – angering Italians everywhere
- Doubling Down on the tax bill – the Dems still call a widely successful and popular program “Armageddon”
- DACA – Trump has the high ground on this and the Dems will abandon the Dreamers in favor of an “issue”
With all of these Democrat negatives, Sid thinks Trump will win in 2020 easily.
To wrap it up, Sid described the State of the Union as “Trump hearts America”, and paraphrased the best line of the speech: “Americans are Dreamers too – AGAIN”.
