WILL BE UPDATED THROUGHOUT QUALIFYING WEEK
As candidate qualifying begins today, the big question is whether Florida Democrats have recruited some candidates that may be lying in the weeds waiting to file for some of the most important seats in the state. The week begins with almost twenty legislative districts where Barack Obama got over 45% of the two-party vote in 2008 without a Democratic candidate. Several other races where Obama got in excess of 45% lack a serious Democratic candidate.
The Republicans on the other hand, are reluctant to leave seats that are either open or where John McCain got in excess of 40% of the 2008 vote without opposition. While the Republican Party does not fund these candidates in highly Democratic districts, they at least field candidates and allow them access to the effective statewide and local GOP apparatus. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Democrats routinely ran candidates and won districts where the Democratic Presidential vote was under 40% in the very same election.
Qualifying week never passes without surprises. Considering the new legislative districts are far more favorable to Democrats than those that were in affect for the past decade, their are fewer and fewer excuses for not fielding candidates in most races. Here is to hoping Florida’s Democrats have a few tricks up their sleeves to prevent another carnage in legislative elections this cycle.
The Political Hurricane Senate Race Ratings will return next week after qualifying is complete. Our House ratings will debut next week as well.
Updates after the jump
Qualifying Updates
10:15 am EDT update Friday June 8th
Andy Gardiner has a Democratic opponent, Christopher Charles Pennington. It is good to see a Democrat in this district which while difficult for a Democrat particularly against Gardiner, is not a slam dunk GOP districtunless you take the recent FDP attitude that any district where GOP performance is over 51% and is outside southeast Florida is “not winnable.”
The Democrat running against Steve Precourt in a seat that is winnable by non FDP logic has still not qualified. Chances are now very good that Rep. Precourt will get a pass despite being in a district that John McCain carried by less than two percentage points in 2008.
3:15pm EDT update Thursday June 7th
Thanks to Ross Hancock, Democratic candidate in HD-114 for tipping me off that Ian Whitney has now officially qualified in HD-120. He will be the Democratic nominee against either Ron Saunders’ former aide Holly Merril Raschein or Morgan McPherson. Barack Obama and Alex Sink both carried this district.
2:30pm EDT update Thursday June 7th
We are told their are no plans to recruit and qualify a top tier Democratic challenger to Northern Palm Beach County Rep. Pat Rooney. The current Democratic challenger David Lurtin is not considered a serious candidate by most local political insiders. This is a seat that was carried by both Barack Obama and Alex Sink. The predecessor district (HD-83 in the 2002-2012 map) was the scene of two of the closest House races in state during the past three election cycles. The Democrats have focused on finding financially viable candidates in HD-89 and HD-93 but seem to have moved past trying to pick up a seat that performs better for Democrats than those two seats do. Should the Democrats sweep all three seats, their would be no resident Republican House members left in either the Broward or Palm Beach County delegations.
2:00pm EDT update Thursday June 7th
Many of the candidates and races we were concerned about up and down the I-4 corridor now have qualified Democrats. Still several more seats that merely lean Republican have no qualified Democrat. Still of concern is that Ian Whitney who fell six petition signatures short of automatic qualification in HD-120 has still not qualified. The Keys oriented seat was won by both Barack Obama and Alex Sink and is home to the current House Minority Leader, Ron Saunders.
9:00 am EDT update Thursday June 7th
Democratic first-time candidate Ross Hancock has qualified by petition for State House District 114 in Coral Gables, where he will challenge Republican incumbent Erik Fresen. Hancock, a Political Hurricane reader will compete in a seat where Barack Obama got over 48% of the two-party vote in 2008. So another good Democrat has filed in a marginally Republican district.
Shannon Roberts a potentially excellent Democratic candidate in the Brevard County based 8th Congressional District (formerly 15th) has qualified to challenge Bill Posey. Roberts has the perfect profile for the district- she is a former NASA official, the first the Democrats have run in this district since John Bryan in 1996.
Liz Alpert who previously ran for the State House in Hillsborough County has filed to run against Ray Pilon in the Sarasota based HD-72. The district was carried by Obama in 2008.
2:30 pm EDT update Wednesday June 6th
According to the Palm Beach Post, former Rep. Kevin Rader who had secured the endorsement of former Congressman Robert Wexler, current Congressman Ted Deutch has abandoned his race for Senate District 27 leaving Rep. Jeff Clemens and Rep. Mack Bernard to fight it out. Former Rep. Mary Brandenburg has also been rumored to run in this Senate seat. Rader is attempting to win back his old House seat challenging Freshman incumbent Rep. Steve Perman.
2:00 pm EDT update Wednesday June 6th
Anyone find it interesting that Jim Norman still hasn’t qualified for re-election to his Senate seat? The combination of ethics problems and former Rep. Rob Wallace & Rep. John Legg’s challenging him weighing on a possible decision to abort the race?
The filed Democrat in District 44 Lee Douglas still hasn’t qualified and did not have enough money in his bank account as of the last candidate filing to pay a qualifying fee. If he does not qualify, Republican incumbent Steve Precourt who has been drawn into a more Democratic district will get a pass. A familiar story in recent Florida legislative election history.
10:30 am EDT update Wednesday June 6th
Peter Schorsch reports Jack Latvala will stay in Northern Pinellas County filing for District 20. This means Jim Frishe will face Jeff Brandes in the Republican Primary in District 22. Both districts were carried by Barack Obama in the 2008 election, but Democrats are non-players in both races. Adam Smith at the St Petersburg Times has a great story on the Democrats continuing woes in Pinellas County.
More on Latvala’s decision from the St Pete Times Pulitzer Winning site PolitFact.
7:15pm EDT update Tuesday June 5th
Pamela Goodman, a very well connected local woman’s leader has filed in HD-89 (Palm Beach County) versus Republican Bill Hager. This is one of five seats won by Obama that entered the week without a Democratic candidate. The seat was carried by Rick Scott in the 2010 election.
It also appears according to the SP Times that Jack Latvala will run in SD 20 leaving Jim Frishe and Jeff Brandes to fight out a proxy war in SD 22. The Democrats are irrelevant in both elections even though Barack Obama carried both districts in 2008.
12:15 pm EDT update Tuesday June 5th
Carl Zimmerman’s decision to file again to challenge Peter Nehr in the re-0numbered 65th district (Northern Pinellas County) reduces the number of House districts where no Democrat has filed but Barack Obama got over 45% of the two-party vote to 19. This is addition to four Senate districts that fit the same description. Zimmerman has run for the seat on two previous occasions.
By contrast no State House seat where John McCain received over 45% of the two-party vote for President in 2008 is lacking a Republican who has filed.
9:30 am EDT update Tuesday June 5th
Ian Whitney, the lone Democrat filed in District 120 fell short of the required signatures to qualify for the ballot according to Saint Petersblog. Whitney can still pay the filing fee before Friday. Otherwise a district won by both Barack Obama and Alex Sink as well held by the current Democratic House leader, Ron Saunders, will flip to the GOP w/o opposition.
Also, Nancy Argenziano running as on the Independent Party line qualified to run for her old Crystal River based House seat which she represented as a moderate Republican from 1996 to 2002.
1:15 pm EDT update Monday June 4th
As of this moment, House District 36, House District 59, House District 72, House District 83, House District 89 all carried by Obama during his 2008 Presidential victory have no Democrat filed. This is addition to over a dozen House & Senate districts where Obama got over 45% of the two-party vote and their are no current Democrats filed.
12:15pm EDT update Monday June 4th
Peter Schorsch at Saint Petersblog is reporting Aaron Bosshardt, candidate for Florida House District 21, sent an email to campaign supporters alerting them he plans on turning in his paper immediately after the qualifying period opens. District 21 currently held by Freshman GOP Rep. Keith Perry is a seat that was carried both by Barack Obama and Alex Sink.
Putting candidates in races at least forces Republicans to spend money in districts they should win. For years and years we have never learned this. We even let Tom Gallagher go unopposed one year for CFO. Remember that?
The 1:15 update is pathetic. Granted one of those seats is in Palm Beach but in a Republican part of the county, but the other three are in strongly Republican areas that this site seems obsessed with. I’m sorry but Sarasota, Port St Lucie and New Port Richey? You guys still don’t realize that the districts we need to focus on are NORTH of Ocala. I’m glad we are at least happy about district 21. Those are the types of districts we should be obsessed about not the ones you go on about all the time.
We are working on House District 89. Pamela Goodman a potential fantastic Democrat who can self-finance may run. Palm Beach Democrats are on this seat and will hope to win it. Eric Johnson the top Democratic consultant who was just elected a delegate to the DNC will run the race.
I love Pamela Goodman…but she is getting her advice from a bad place. Steinman and Siegal…..enough said….oh and Eric J. Yes he got as a delegate but that is what happens when you get paid off by everyone……..
There will be a BIG surprise…..
Clemens knew not to run for that seat because it is not a D seat. Goodman will run and loose. Eric Johnson is so smart! We love him. He is so bright. I have never met anyone so honest before!
Yes. Eric is the best in the state. The party would be best off if they used him statewide instead of the people you are always complaining about on here.
Honey,
Eric has been consulting the party for years even as a staffer for Wexler. I don’t know how Kosher that is but you should check your facts first. He has consulting every Democrat in a primary and he has not won a general election in at least a decade. Tell Robert we say hi and thanks for screwing up the county with the bad voting machines. Now Bucher and Deutch have to clean up Bobby’s mess. Deutch needs to wake up already or he might go down with the sinking ship.
Eric Johnson is worthless, but Wexler actually fought the good fight on voting machines and counting votes.
I understand we have a joke candidate in Senate 22 and no candidate in 20. Obama carried both districts.
Right now we aren’t getting people in all the key seats on the Treasure Coast. Disappointing!!!
Its the Democratic Party of course they are a disappointment when it being run by Seigal, Steinman, Aaronson, Johnson, Deutch and Wexler. Read the bill prophet because it seems that is all these boys are making is a prophet off of the voters. October Surprise!!!!
Eric is a waste of time and money. He is still trying to ride Wexler’s soiled coat tails. You just do not leave a safe Congressional job to work at a worthless think tank for no good reason. Think FBI knocking at your door. Just ask Mary Mc Carty his good backroom buddy.
The reality is that with all the special interest money controlled by just a few people, what do you think is going to change ? It might be time for the real Democrats to break off and form another party. I hate to think that if there is not some type of awakening soon the rest of the country will look like Florida.
Yes HD 83 is a district carried by Obama where their is currently no Dem running.
Senate District 20 carried by Obama right now has no Dem. Senate District 22 carried by both Obama and Sink has a lawyer named Mark Robert Moon whom I am told is not the strongest candidate.
Every district touching I-4 , SR 528 or I-275 should have a Democratic candidate. Turnout is volatile up and down the I-4 corridor and especially in a reapportionment year we need to have candidates in all these races. As of this morning their were 18 House and Senate seats between Sanford and Stuart where Obama got over 45%, six of which he won that have no Democratic candidate running, Their are ZERO districts that fit this description north of Ocala.
Quite frankly I am tired of having this discussion and argument. The obsession some of you have with the Panhandle and Big Bend is not only unproductive but actually just plain silly. I would LOVE to be able to bring back some blue dog dems in those districts and rebuild the Askew coalition that ruled the state, combining panhandle and southeastern Florida. But the reality is the Republican horseshoe is noe trending more Dem while the previously monolithic Dem North is now solidly Republican outside of Tallahassee, Gainesville and Gadsden County. We can make up many more votes statewide and pick up many more legislative districts just by competing up and down I-4 and in adjoining counties such as Sarasota, Pasco and Brevard than in the entire area west of the Suwanee River. That is simply a fact some of you need to accept once and for all. Their just aren’t the numbers of voters, particularly those willing to back lots of Democratic candidates in those areas. Their are more potential Dem target districts in Pinellas County alone than their are north of Ocala. That is reality!
McBride, Davis and Sink all ran string between the Apalachicola and Suwanee Rivers. They all had difficulties in the areas you want to target. That is the bottom line.
That is what they are doing…..leaving the Ds as they are now with the current lack of leadership from the Palm Beach County area to the Panhandle. These Ds are just as corrupt as the Rs but we all know in July Crist will bring both parties down especially the PBC area.
Again, we have far more voters up and down I-4 than in the Big Bend by about twenty fold. It’s just logic and besides Governor races are one thing but we are more competitive at just about every other level up and down 1-4.
You should look at how little some of our candidates in seats which fit your profile actually have raised. 20 goes up to 30-35 if you add in don Quixote type campaigns.
What does Crist have to do with anything???????
One of the districts is certainly the new Alachua to Clay seat in the Senate. Despite everything said I d o not think it is winnable and not having a candidate there is no great loss.
We are filling all of the open seats. Just be patient. The Republicans had he knowledge in advance of where the lines would be and we didn’t.
Calling your bluff! BS …..MS. Just wait until to July when all the cats are out of the bag. Siegal, Smith, Aaronson, Lipsich, Johnson…enough said.
The hot rumors around town are the following:
Goodman a superstar slam dunk candidate that can self fund will run against Hager in the very Democratic HD 89.
Bogdanoff seeing she cannot win may drop out leaving Sachs unopposed. This one has started to spread in the last few hours.
Laxer may challenge Perman in the House District 81 Dem Primary.
A very credible and strong Dem trial lawyer will be jumping into HD 82, a winnable seat.
Goodman IS running
Bogdanoff is probably going to run in 2014 statewide if she does not run this time.
Laxer is not running against Perman. Everyone wanted her to run against Abruzzo. She said she would not run against Abruzzo because he has so much money and it is a mixed district.
Also Deutch endorsed Abruzzo before the seats were drawn.
I would not be surprised if Deutch got Aaronson to threaten her too!
Laxer is probably going to work for someone that has nothing to do with these people.
Goodman and Laxer are too smart to be part of this group. I think Laxer is the only one who has realized it a long time ago when Deutch became Wexler’s bitch.
I can tell you this. Laxer left working for Deutch in 2009 to work on the Israel issues. She is not running and she left because she did not agree with him on several issue. He got too involved with the politics and never trusted Wexler or his staff.
Pamela is great but she can’t beat Hager
Bogdanoff is not going to let Sachs run unopposed. There is no way that is going to happen. Perman is great and he helps all the Ds with their backs too like Andre! Laxer should stay out if she knows what’s good for her.
Andy,
The new district where Abruzzo is not a mixed district.
Laxer is such a disappointment. She’s an attractive young, fresh face but has talked about running for every office under the sun in the last four years and never runs for anything. She had lots of backing to run for whatever she wanted from the activists and organizations but now most would hesitate to back her because she is wish washy and indecisive.
Laxer was thrown under the bus long ago by both Ted and Wexler. How is she going to run if the good old boys (Burt,etc.) constantly block her ability to raise money. Just ask Harriet Lerman.
Its take money and it is true Wexler and Ted both threw her under the bus….did so again most recently with her current job because she would not be partisan. The truth is the party needs someone like Laxer. The problem is we have too many people just like Johnson and Siegal. Laxer has not been talking to the press or the elected officials about running. She should run as an I
Laxer can stand on her own if she wants to. Whenever she does the public will support including this Republican! She is damn smart. The problem with the Ds is the same problem with the Rs…they are corrupt. I like Hager so sorry whoever Goodman is. Bogdanoff is a leader don’t mess with her. Bobby was a joke and not respected much in DC. Aaronson and Johnson are the problem. Stop knocking my man Fladel. He is the king! The Democrats suck in this state. You guys can’t get your shit together and you take our candidates & run them as yours.
What a joke. I hope Deutch’s former aide does not run. She can beat some of my buddies. She is too smart for politics though. Straight shooter which is why she can’t be in politics but damn smart on policy.
Is Harry J still or Montey still around?
We need to concentrate on seats that can be won. The party has a weak state chairman, DEC leaders and consultants like Johnson who has been playing both sides for years. We need to make sure we have a D in every seat. No Republican should go unopposed. We need to focus on Obama and Nelson. The party is going to need a makeover like the Rs will after the Greer trial in July. Enough with the side BS. Let’s get organized and get going. Go around those that are nuts and corrupt. Rumor has it there will be a big shake up for both parties in the summer. There will be a chance to change the party as we know it with real leaders but we have to make sure the Obama wins.
Doubtful that we will win any new Congressional Seat or Senate seats. This is what happens when there is so much corruption between both parties. Obama promised a change we can believe in and he was not talking about climate. Shake up and shake down.
We need to find someone to run against Harrell in her House seat. I believe Obama carried that district. Any ideas, Treasure Coaster?
Would Argenziano caucus with the Ds?????
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Carl,
At this point the Ds don’t care where anyone will caucus. They just want to win something ….even with losers.
Too bad Laxer isn’t running. She’s young, smart and HOT! We as Democrats need someone who is attractive to run. See Pam Bondi, Connie Mack Jr. Adam Hasner, Anitere Flores etc. It helps that Laxer is actually smart and great on the issues! If she ran the Republicans would loose for sure!!!!
Laxer cannot run because she cannot hold a job and has angered the leadership locally. She has also slandered both Eric Johnson and Wendi Lipsich both of whom are incredibly well respected and liked over and over. Eric is the best operative our party has and Wendi our best community leader and outreach person. Laser’s jealousy and sense of entitlement has led to her constant attacks on them and hence she cannot run.
Your focus on looks are chauvistic and archaic. Are you saying we should vote for Jacobs over Frankel based on the makeup and short skirts. We need substance, not a pretty face.
Laxer can’t stand Johnson but no one can. Wendi is non issue with Laxer. Laxer can run but won’t….too smart. Siegal and Johnson is a joke. Why is Wexler people trying to act like they are leaders??????
Hey Women for change learn to spell!
Yes I agree with you. Johnson and Siegal are the worst part of the party. Let the chips fall will they may….and they will.
FYI MS let Johnson win a race for once…..lol
Let’s get back to basics. Laxer will run if she wants. Everyone knows that Deutch threw her under the bus because he backed Slosberg. They now are trying to say that Wendi and Laxer don’t get along so they have some excuse for Deutch. We need to get out the vote period. Without the bs that seems to be going on with the local party people. We now have a bunch of people running in different seats. I have not seen Rader in awhile. Isn’t Eric doing that campaign too? We need to make sure that West doesn’t win too? Is Eric doing that campaign?
Eric is working for Senate Victory right now but is going to claim he does not if the Ds don’t pick up any seats state-wide. The guy is scum. Wendi is flaky but she handles the office well.
Democrats 2012 you learn HOW to spell. spellcheck oops!
Screw the party, DECS, and the lack of leadership state-wide. We already lost the state and the county. Just get out the vote. Investigators will take care of the rest. Move on!
I am sure Wexler and Deutch are thrilled they endorsed Rader and then he dropped out. Makes them look VERY bad.
Agree…..let’s hope they stay out of the House race. …
Rader is running again Perman? Disgusting. We’re in a minority and yet we have office shopping former reps office shopping targeting sitting members.
A true tool!
I thought Goodman could self finance? Where are her assets? Her house isn’t even in her name, she owns no property? What is she hiding?
Wendi, Eric, Burt,Wexler, all need to go. They are only interested in their own agendas. You have no idea how much money Eric gets under the table. That’s why I no longer contribute to the party. Good candidates can’t get party money and the party at the same time is hiring Eric as a consultant. Check the expense reports from a few years ago. How about all the times he was double dipping getting his salary and consulting money at the same time. This is why things do not change. Win or lose these clowns still make their money. Why work for your rewards when they will come anyway ???
Observer,
It is not just the 4 you name. Eric and Wexler are the core of this. There is more craziness going on as it has been said and hopefully currently being investigated with the State Party and the Republican Party. Rader is a joke and so is Perman.
It looks like the Ds will face a state-wide loss and we will be lucky if Obama gets in.
The Brandenburg tidbit is interesting but you may be confused. Female Democrat does not mean her. I actually heard it was Tara Laxer running in that district.
Laxer could challenge Sachs in the primary using the base Rader was working. Problem is Laxer is not willing to work with Eric Johnson and has slandered him all over town. It is pretty well established that you cannot win a Democratic primary in Palm Beach without his involvement in your campaign. So whomever she runs against will get his help and she will lose.
No updates from anything north of Daytona? I would have figured as much from this site.
If you read this site exclusively you’d think the state ends in Daytona and Ocala and our state Capitol Tallahassee and both our major universities were in Georgia.
I am glad Laxer is again considering running. That is the scuttlebutt this morning. She will be challenging Clemens and Bernard. The district is 40% Jewish in the primary and a strong woman can win it. I hope she runs. Many activists would be behind her although Clemens has support also.
Laxer is not running. She wants nothing to do with the local party. Eric Johnson is a joke and Wexler & Deutch proved again they are as well with the Rader BS. Laxer will end up fixing the party but I don’t think it is through running as a candidate. She is not ego driven like the rest of the bunch. She has a vision and its not blinded by the corruption or money that got Rader & the gang. I think she is going to help Perman and get Rader out once and for all.
Who are you kidding? Laxer has the biggest ego of them all. She writes how hot she is and is an attention whore. The last job she had she got fired from because she wasn’t the center of attention. And why do you think Deutch fired her? Part of it was because she thought she was the Senator. No, Laxer needs to see that PBC doesn’t revolve around her once and for all.
Laxer was not fired she went to work on non-partisan Israel issues. If she wants to run she will. The truth is Eric is the problem so stop blaming everyone else.
Right on Koo Koo!
The divisions in the party were created by Laxer taking credit for things she didn’t do constantly screaming look at me look at me attacking Wendi and Eric and demanding Deutch fire Lipsich and hire her instead. The dumb activist who think she can fix the party is just that a dumb activist.
I am glad Laxer is again considering being active in the party. MS we LOVE Tara and are not dumb activists as you claim. You are the dumb one so up Ted Deutch’s rear end slandering Tara and the rest of us.
Go back in your hole, you miserable troll.
Go over yourself people. I know Laxer very well and she helping us take over the local party. The lack of leadership in the DEC is disgusting. She justs gets it and she won’t be a part of the crazy that we all see. Deutch is great and for some reason Eric is TERRIFIED of Laxer. Wendi has been great working in Wexle’s office and Deutch’s office. Her and Tara never had the same job so stop the gossip and don’t let Eric and Wexler to continue to ruin our party. They did in 2010 not this time people…we have too much too lose. Let’s get out the vote for Obama, Nelson, Deutch and the rest of the gang. Enough is enough.
They “ERIC and MARK” will not destroy the party this time! We have to much to loose.
Go MARK PAFFORD!
From what I know about Tara Laxer she would make an ideal candidate in the Slosberg or Berman seats. Maybe she’ll run for one of those in the future?
Concerned Dem. No one sees you as stupid just dumb on the laxer thing. Tara is no good. Maybe she can change like Pafford. He has grown up and learned how to play the game.
Keith Fitzgerald just put on his Facebook that he has now qualified.
Rader is running again versus Perman? Disgusting. We’re in a minority and yet we have office shopping former reps office shopping targeting sitting members.
A true tool!
Also it is AWFUL that we did not get anyone better versus Rooney. Lutrin a big nothing.
Wish Laxer had run. She is the type of leader we need!
Did you know Rader is Jewish and his wife is a rabbi? Betcha did not! 🙂
Go Fitzgerald! We love him! Lutrin…nice but no go. Rader is a joke again (Eric Johnson). Hey MS get your hardon off of Laxer. Tara doesn’t play games that is why she doesn’t want to run. She will do more good by helping people with some legislation behind the scene. Get over yourself and Laxer. We all love her and we know you need her now….but she does not give a shit. She is helping some GREAT people kick your ass into next week. And yes Terri….Rader is a joke and so is Pafford with his 10000 FB ego postings. Stop blogging people and get a job! Count every vote….
Go KEITH KEITH KEITH KEITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO RANDOLPH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR CHAIR
SIEGAL DON’T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON THE WAY OUT!
Are we getting an opponent for Harrell?
No. The party isn’t even trying in some of these seats. I was frankly shocked Pilon and Horner got opponents. Marginal districts that could have had longer term better opposition but where the party lucked into candidates.
Right now it certainly appears that way. Harrell is not just a bad vote but now she’s sitting in a district a Democrat can either win or be very competitive in.
Not even trying in many seats where they do have candidates. Many of the candidates who have popped up this week have been self-recruited or recruited by local activists.
We just need the Rs to spend money since Obama will probably lose this state and maybe the race all together. Let the Rs spend money. Again Ds never prepared their bench. Talk about a PONZI scheme.
I heard Rader is running for DEC chair in PBC after Siegal is thrown out for stealing money from club members. Memories of NY Siegal huh?
We r turning things around thanks to Rod Smith. Go Rod go!!!!
Any evidence for this claim?
Siegal is a contender for state chair so I doubt he’d give up PBC without a fight. You have to be a state committee member to run for state chair so he needs to stay on the committee.
Totally agree with Kartik’s last comment. Just look at the South Florida area. Same old recycled candidates.
It is obvious you have not researched Eric’s track record. The chances of winning an election is 1000% better without him.