On January 7, the Florida Whig Party announced that it now has five candidates for U.S. House in 2010. The newly-announced candidates are Stephen J. Bacon in the 7th district, and Craig Porter in the 25th district. Previously announced candidates are Paul McKain in the 2nd district, John Annarumma in the 3rd district, and Clayton Schock in the 20th district.
This blog does not routinely mention instances when a minor party announces a list of candidates, but this Florida news is exceptional. Florida and Georgia are the only states in which, at no time since the 1930’s, has there ever been an election in which at least half of that state’s U.S. House seats had minor party or independent candidates on the ballot. Florida and Georgia, in other words, are the only states in which over half the voters have never seen a minor party or independent candidate on their ballot for U.S. House.
Even though Florida abolished mandatory petitions for minor party and independent candidates in 1999, minor parties in Florida have been slow to take advantage of the freedom to run candidates for Congress. No minor party has had more than two candidates in any one year, in Florida, for U.S. House, since the 1999 liberalization. This is partly because the filing fee is so high, and partly because ingrained habits seem to make Florida minor parties not accustomed to thinking of running many candidates. For example, the Green Party has not had even one U.S. House candidate in Florida since the 1999 liberalization.
It’s good to see our options expanded beyond the normal political class status quo of choices.
From http://www.opencongress.org, a non-partisan research website:
In the 7th District, incumbent Rep. Mica (R) has a 58% average and a 41% in-state approval rating. Mr. Bacon is listed on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website as running with three Democrats and an “unknown” party candidate in addition to Mr. Bacon.
In the 25th District, incumbent Rep. Diaz-Balart (R) has a 60% average and 45% in-state approval rating. Mr. Diaz-Ballart is listed as running against one Democrat candidate. Mr. Porter has not been added in there yet.
In the 2nd District, incumbent Allen Boyd (D) has a 17% average and 42% in-state approval rating. Mr. Boyd is listed as running against running against five Republicans, one Democrat, and one Independent in addition to Mr. McKain.
In the 3rd District, Incumbent Corrine Brown (D) has an 8% average and 26% in-state approval rating. Ms. Brown is listed as running against two Republicans, a Libertarian, and one No Party Affiliation in addition to Mr. Annarumma.
In the 20th District, incumbent Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D) has a 39% average and no in-state approval rating. She is listed as running against two Republicans and Mr. Schock.
Good luck to the challengers! We need officials that will listen to us, be frugal with our money, and follow the Constitution.
The Green Party of Florida currently has two declared candidates for Congress this year, Steve Wilkie in the 2nd congressional district and Nicholas Ruiz III in the 24th.
I’m glad to see that the Green Party is fielding a candidate in the 2nd District. Not to insult the efforts of Wilkie, but this candidate can potentially drain incumbent D Allen Boyd of some of the more liberal votes which could help Paul McKain if he can catch on. This is especially true if the Florida Whig Party can reestablish and get back to the national reputation of a moderate and practical political home pursuant to third party visionary Mike Liebowitz’s overall vision for the return of the Whig movement.
McKain seems to be the best shot for respectability for the Whigs, as the others appear to be running the typical minor party games.
Ratcheter,
I don’t think the Florida Whig Party has abandonded the vision that Leibowitz facilitated. If you look at the Florida Whig pressers you will see that they actually use word for word the ideals that were put forth by the national effort. They also still use the Modern Whig owl that came to represent the national Whig movement that was facilitated by the vision you cite. Florida folks only incorporate someone named McShurly as the founder because they don’t have the vet modern history and need to establish some sort of identity. Otherwise their primary motivator is a guy who sells insurance to elderly folks so not very compelling. The national effort for its part appears to be stuck in the mud since the departure of their main facilitators.
Ideally is to hope that not too many bridges have been burned and the Florida folks can hook back up with the original vision and ideals.
Funny that no one but Mikes slackers tend to always forget that the Florida Whig Party predates the Modern Whig Party and that they are the only state to have achieved ballot access and that they have always been independent of the Modern Whigs and didn’t get involved with them until Mike contacted them and asked them to be affiliated.
They also forget to mention that they ended the affiliation after the Modern Whigs set up multiple blogs to attack the Florida Whigs and their candidates. And that they stated that they would not be involved as long as the continued failure to disclose all ongoing not only to all members but also to the FEC and IRS. Oops am I not suppose to talk about the money that has still not been accounted for by Mike Lebowitz? And that they in Florida could not support a club that appoints 14 year old kids who cannot even vote yet to be state chairs just because they were the first from a state to contact Mike?
Or should it not be an issue that they still have not done one thing to be recognised as a national party even after they contacted Florida to be part of them? There is only one legal Whig party in the US and it is Florida. They happen to be the only place with candidates also. Sounds to me like the Modern Whigs needed Florida more than Florida needed the Modern Whigs Club.
Perfect example is how today that members from the Modern Whigs still put all their efforts into attacking the Florida Whigs. Must be hard putting all your effort and time into something and finding out that Mike Lebowitz sold you on a lie. Move on Moderns!
Hmm… Looks like all the attacking seems to be coming from the folks down in Florida. But the point before being attacked for daring to state an opinion is that Leibowitz facilitated an idea and is now long gone from the Whigs, with Ms Stephens responsible for handling any of the issues with the Moderns. The Florida folks must have bought into his ideas because their releases mimic it word for word and use the owl. It’s a good idea, and the spirit of it is being carried by the Florida Whigs to hopefully some success.
I don’t think it’s Florida. They made it very clear over a month ago they were done playing this game. This after all is why they left us in the first place from my understanding.
But I will be the first to admit that all Mike Lebowitz ever facilitated was talking points and to this day we are still trying to figure out how much was true and how much was just pure fluff. I still have yet to see proof of the 30,000 plus members. Even Ms. Stephens stated in DC that it was just an outdated list of email addresses.
Gary C. From one Whig to another. This is exactly why they left us and here you are on a story about them badmouthing them. Something they never did on our stories even when most of the time the stories were about them and their candidates and Mike took credit for them.
By the way I don’t believe your name is Gary C. I don’t know anyone by that name. Everyone else keep in mind that only the Modern Whig Party executive committee has the right to speak on our behalf. ~Peace Out
It looks like the Democrats and Republicans are working overtime to discredit the Florida Whigs. I follow the website daily. I also follow the candidate sites, found the new Buzz link, and all the other Whig sites in the nation. The new guy in Florida who is a professor is no dummy but Ratcheter will make him out to be. DeGeneste is no dummy but Ratcheter will make him out to be. None of those people are. The Whigs are poised to make a difference and the truth is that Florida is leading the way. They have candidates and I know they are busy. I spoke with their Chairman several months ago when his secretary called me right back and scheduled a time to talk two days later. That is more than I ever got when I called or emailed anyone at the Modern Whigs. That fact alone is worthy of respect. What I heard on the phone was the exact same thing I read online from the Ocala paper interview. When I learned that the paper is owned by the New York Times I impressive that much more. Ratcheter’s comments are mean and stupid. McShurley is the chairman of the Indiana Modern Whig. He founded the Florida Party. Everyone who follows the Whigs knows this but and sounds like Lebowitz or Nick the Snake from North Carolina. Truedale and his crew are all business people who have political experience. I also think they are all business and don’t care about playing games and that is exactly what he said to me. I also checked what he said about Florida being an open primary state where nearly anyone can run for office as long as registered with their party. Steve Bacon was an independent then Democrat and now a Whig. The way I see it, Reagan was a Democrat became a Republican and went on to be president. Who cares? I don’t! I say keep it up and throw all those Rs and Ds out. If the Florida Whigs can do it, God Bless them. As far at the Whigs who are all talk, who cares about them, talk is cheap.
I truly believe it can only be a good thing to have additional candidates on the ballot for the voters to choose from. It’s about time the Democrat/Republican party realized they need to earn those votes every year, and stop treating them like a birthright.
It would also be nice to see some Florida Reform Party candidates on the ballot, but given their track record, I’m not holding my breath waiting.