It’s that time again. Brevard voters are being asked to fill two vacancies in the Florida Legislature that were created by President Trump’s appointments to his administration. When freshly elected Florida Senator Randy Fine resigned to run for the Daytona Beach area congressional seat, Debbie Mayfield, herself freshly elected to the Florida House to begin her 17th year in the legislature, resigned to run for the Florida Senate seat she had just termed out of.
Or so we thought. Term limits are meaningless in Florida and the Supreme Court rightly ruled that the poorly worded term limits law did not prohibit Mayfield from returning to the seat term limits had supposedly prohibited.
Mayfield’s resignation triggered a special election for House seat she’s vacating to try and remain a Senator.
The campaign season, thankfully short in a special election, has been nothing short of a disaster. Lies and deception are the rule of the day as opposed to the exception. It’s tough for voters to discern the facts on the candidates or the issues. Personal attacks have been heavy. Implied, but no actual, presidential endorsements further cloud the picture. Political Committees, supposedly unaffiliated with a candidate or campaign, are involved in much of the deception.
These committees are unaccountable, run by nameless, faceless people who have no obligation to the voters or the candidates and face no repercussions for their less than ethical actions.
It’s the same with the campaign advisors who are engaged by candidates, often because of their ability to manipulate these committees into such practices. These advisors are paid, win or lose, and have no compunction about the dirty dealing.
No wonder so many voters just walk away.
But that’s giving up. I’m not doing that.
I’ve interviewed two candidates in each of these races. They were the only candidates who had a shot at earning my votes. Other candidates have a history in office or Brevard politics that require no inquiry on my part as to whether they’re deserving of support.
That being said, here is how I am voting in the special primary election:
Florida Senate- Mark Lightner, III
This pick surprised even me. Mark is a 24-year-old businessman and father whose wife is expecting their second child this summer. Like most of us, I would expect a 24-year-old to not have the maturity or experience to be effective in this job.
Lightner proved me wrong. He is mature. He’s grounded in who he is and his faith. He is nothing less than an impressive young man who would serve us well in the Florida Senate. He was ready with answers to any question presented to him, is well versed on the issues in play and as prepared for this job as any candidate could be.
Florida House- Bob White
This vote is also a bit of a surprise. Bob and I agree on most issues and I don’t believe Bob would cast an incorrect vote if he were elected. That said, we disagree on the brand of politics he has played in Tallahassee as the face of the Republican Liberty Caucus. Should that continue, he will not be as effective as he has potential to be.
Bob is well versed on the issues and articulate about them. His understanding of them and the process makes him the best choice in this race.
Terry Cronin is a likable man and, someday, a good candidate. I hope he stays engaged and gets a firm grasp of the issues on play in Tallahassee. He made some mistakes on the campaign trail and in his choice of a bad campaign advisor who took his campaign in a less-than-desirable direction. Then again, you don’t hire a ballet dancer to take on a gunslinger. There was certainly a campaign of lies and deception directed at him. Allowing his advisors to use the same tactics was a mistake. Cronin should have better controlled his message and his advisor.