Your Republican Ballot for Democrats
Who are these people?
After studying the Official Primary Election Ballot for the Republican Party, I’m sorry I didn’t switch my Democratic status even temporarily. However, it has been 16 years of wedded bliss and I still haven’t legally changed to my married name. Chalk up a bi-partisan vote for procrastination anyway.
Why would a Democrat want to vote in a Republican primary? I don’t want to speak for an entire community, but it isn’t so much as they want to, as they felt they needed to. With extreme far-right conspiracy theorists and candidates beholden to a self-serving agenda, Sarasota’s character and institutions could crumble under the wrong leadership.
It’s too big a risk to take if the Democrats don’t turn out in November.
Take the hospital board races for example. There are anti-vax, anti-science political cronies who could make the worst decisions that will affect the five-star quality care that Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) provides for all. While no candidate admits to wanting to privatize the public hospital, under these whackadoodles there is a good chance of that scenario occurring. What would then happen to those uninsured or without any funds suffering from a trauma injury or about to have a baby? Sarasota would look like a third world country.
Depending on the district one lives in, there are two County Commission races where citizens don’t want to risk development-through-the-wazoo that would forever change the character of our barrier islands, such as Siesta and Casey Keys.
Candidates with the funding from developers are Theresa Mast and Neil Rainford. Ironically they failed to appear at a Tiger Bay debate, where development was a key issue.
That’s why we urge you to vote for their opponents: Alexandra Coe (opponent Mast) and Tom Knight (running against Rainford). It certainly is confusing and off-putting to see a Proud Boy / America First extremist endorse Knight, but the former Sheriff was well-liked and never played favorites.
Starting at the top of a ballot, one vote can be made for United States Senate. The incumbent is Rick Scott, who infamously dropped the bomb that he would cut senior citizens’ Social Security and Medicare, calling them entitlements. However, folks who have paid into these programs over a lifetime of hard work, see the benefits as being earned and paid for with deductions from paychecks. They are not gifts.
The second candidate running is Keith Gross. I discovered him on ‘X’ and was appalled by his “America First” and “Woke” agenda. Let’s be clear, America First is code for White Nationalism. According to Florida Politics, Gross describes himself as a ‘very wealthy businessman’. He owns Gross Law Firm.
In a nation exhausted from divide, Gross wants to cross the finish line with more of the same hateful rhetoric. Representing all citizens in Florida is simply out of his capabilities.
That leaves Florida’s only choice to be John S. Columbus. Who?
Columbus describes himself as an organically-grown Florida man. He says that he leads with love, which in my view, makes him a RINO. This Republican was endorsed by Muslims for Democracy and Fairness. His views are conservative, yet not over the top. His website reveals a welcome and rare authenticity.
The inexperienced Columbus could turn out to be Florida’s savior (if the conservative vote prevails) or a disaster in the making. But we already know Gross and Scott are out of the closet s***shows, so my vote would be with the loving underdog, John S. Columbus.
More detailed information on the three candidates can be found here.
In the tax collector category, it’s truly a stunner. We have Charles Bear, a former Independent-turned-Republican. He’s running against (who I allege) to be one of Sarasota’s most evil men, Mike Moran. He makes disgraced, lecherous ex-Republican Party of Florida Chair Christian Ziegler look like a St. Bernard.
Moran heads up Florida Pace Agency that was designed to help fund needy homeowners with energy upgrades and home improvements that strengthen the house during inclement weather like hurricanes. Research diligently constructed by the Florida Center for Government Accountability, shows Moran spent government money in the area of $30,000 on a lavish trip in Las Vegas.
According to an article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the controversial program has been criticized by consumer advocates because the loans result in a tax lien on the property. The article goes on to read:
If the payments aren't kept up, a homeowner's property can be sold for unpaid taxes in as little as two years in Florida.
Consumer advocates say the residential PACE program lacks transparency and carries above-market interest rates, with few protections for homeowners. The loans also do not have income qualification requirements and do not check whether an applicant has the ability to repay the loan.
They also say some unscrupulous contractors don't fully explain how the program works, hide the total cost of the improvements and overcharge for their services.
Teresa Mast’s husband, Jon, serves as Secretary of Florida Pace. Perhaps that’s another reason to vote for her opponent.
I recommend a vote for someone who doesn’t allegedly and deceptively steal homes from vulnerable people. That would be Charles Bear.
The Charter Review Board race is between Nicholas R. Altier and Bill Van Allen. Altier’s resume reads:
I have been serving our community since I was a child. I have served the Historical Preservation Board of Sarasota County; the Future Builders of America Foundation; Sarasota Young Republicans (finance chair); Habitat for Humanity, recognized as Goodwill Ambassador of the Year; chairman of the Pediatric Cancer Foundation (Sarasota Chapter); served Suncoast Charities for Children; sat on the committee of the Sarasota Christmas Parade for five years.
Van Allen is a 72-year-old musician and owner of Bill’s buds. He’s a vice-chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus. He promises to use a logical mind and an understanding of Roberts’ Rules of Order if elected.
My thinking is that Altier is 37 years old and could use the Charter Review as a platform to pursue future political ambitions. Van Allen isn’t in it for a rise in the ranks. It’s your call, people.
In the category titled: Party Office State Committeeman, there are three candidates:
C.J. Morgan, Joe Neunder and Duff Smiley.
A frequent speaker at School Board meetings, Col. Lt. Duff Smiley proclaims he is for Democracy and Decency. Yet his speeches are doozies!
During his April 16th speech before the board, he said, “I’m here to discuss civility and respect at board meetings. I find it ironic that the side that talks about hate speech is conducting the most hateful and vitriolic hate campaign I’ve ever witnessed. He then went on to call the LGBTQ students and parents the “mafia who is building a pillory in their witch hunt of Bridget Ziegler.”
He then goes holier-than-thou stating that “in my religion, we believe in forgiveness.”
At two other meetings, Smiley proudly states that he was a member of GM’s Diversity Counsel. After praising the conservative board members, he contradicted any image he was trying to project by directing his own bigotry towards Board Member Tom Edwards. “He does an outstanding job of representing the rainbow coalition,” Smiley began during his three-minute speech. “His chief qualification is he’s gay. He does not even wear an American flag on his lapel.”
He went on to accuse Edwards of “CRT / DEI ideologies”. Wait, didn’t he say he was on a Diversity council? “Do not allow Tom Edwards to poison the minds of students and indoctrinate.”
Edwards, who is running for re-election handles the harassment with aplomb. “I can take it. It’s the kids I worry about.”
Candidate #2 Morgan is a go-getter. He describes himself this way:
“In October 2022, I was elected by my peers as the Vice Chairman of the Florida Young Republicans and was subsequently re-elected in June of 2023. My experience on the local and state level demonstrate I have the drive, determination, and knowledge to help recruit, train, and elect conservatives to office, and I will utilize those experiences, as your State Committeeman, to drive the Republican Party of Florida forward and ensure we have the next generation of conservative leadership ready to take up the mantle. After all, as the Gipper so often said, “Freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction.”
Why did he get involved in politics? He says: “My love for my country and the desire to protect my newfound home from the disasters of the Democrats' leadership during the covid pandemic led me to become involved in local politics.”
It was Trump who recommended swallowing bleach, so if he feels it was the Democrat’s leadership that cost Americans their lives, then he lost my imaginary vote. That leaves, Joe Neunder.
A Letter to the Editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, adroitly written by Robin Taub Williams, explains her disdain for his decision making. When it came to funding for the American Library Association, Williams writes, “Sixty people spoke in support of the library memberships and against restricting books. A handful spoke in opposition, including several who sought book restrictions in Sarasota schools.
“Commissioner Joe Neunder talked out of both sides of his mouth, saying the membership question had nothing to do with banning books, while in the next breath stating he doesn’t want anything inappropriate in libraries that his kids might see.
It’s disingenuous to say this has nothing to do with book banning; Florida’s become infamous for it!”
You decide on this one.
For State Committeewoman, Conni Brunni would be a perfect fit for the worst the party represents. She serves as the Sarasota Moms For Liberty Sarasota Chapter chair, which by now, we know has been deemed an extremist anti-government group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Then there’s this:
A second candidate is Audie Bock, who’s goal is to bring MAGA’s together. She wrote an article entitled: Baby-Killing on the Ballot, which can be found on her website. To be honest, I don’t even dare look up the third candidate.
I’d vote for Rachel Frank. Why? She’s just doing her Republican thing and seems to want this badly.
The final races are for School Board. Read through any of the Dear Bubbie blogs and you’ll find a real compelling duplicity in incumbent Karen Rose. She’s proven to be a real menace to public education in our highly-rated school district. Rose attempted to take credit for a good year, but was called out by the public who have been following her antics to even the local newspaper. All talking points were covered with damning facts that pointed more in the direction that Rose is harming the public education system in Sarasota.
There’s a real person running, Liz Barker: A Mother of four in the school system, who has done volunteer work and was employed as a school psychologist. No one has ever spoken an ill word about her, except for those who have political motivations.
Barker is so separated from the chaos caused by Rose and her cohort Bridget Ziegler, that she will actually be able to get work done. Her knowledge of the public school system in Florida is through the roof - from budgetary to the front-line classrooms. Sarasota is going to see a stabilization and improvement in numbers with her serving.
We recommend Liz Barker for the win.
In the other school board challenge, the only reason someone would vote against moderate Tom Edwards is because even though these are non-partisan races, people just want to vote along their own party lines, no matter what.
In this case, the no matter what’s are Thomas Babicz and Greg Wood. No one quite understands why Wood is even running. His children attend private school.
On a Facebook post, Conni Brunni wrote:
“Greg has unsuccessfully pursued 3 elected positions since arriving here 3 years ago. Ask his former employer about his work ethic.. “
Babicz called Title IX “sick and immoral” - even though it’s a Federal Law. He urged board members to vote against the Federal Government in a motion Ziegler wrote like a fifth-grader. “I learned something while serving on the board,” she said haughtily. Meanwhile, the School Board attorney told the board that the motion needed to be ‘cleaned up’ and could result in lawsuits as well as a loss of Federal funding. He urged the board not to sign it.
Edwards was the only one who voted against it. He has been Teflon to the far-right extremists who put politics in front of the students, staff and teachers. His actions, votes and capabilities as a board member has earned him another term.
Interestingly enough, however, more people are revealing that it’s their Republican friends and co-workers who speak in the most glowing terms about Edwards. His relationship with students and teachers are a master class in what school board representation should look like.
He’s an embarrassment of riches for the entire community, which is why we recommend Tom Edwards.
Parts of your ballot can remain blank and won’t affect your votes. We were unable to find information on George Aiton and Greg Bukowski who are running for the District 4 Charter Review Board.
An instant replay from our last blog, are the recommendations for the hospital board. The candidates of choice are: Sharon Wetzler DePeters; Kevin Cooper; Pam Beitlich (and); Sarah Lodge.
Dear Bubbie is a two-way street. Your voice is important and we welcome your comments below.