Grassroots training from the Nat’l Teaparty Convention
Many of you may have heard that there was a convention in Nashville this weekend – not trying to form a single Teaparty organization or political party, but bringing together a subset of groups from across the country to discuss and agree on a series of items. Portions of the event were televised on C-SPAN, and are available for viewing online.
This is an opportunity to get some grassroots training – so check it out!
Future of the Tea Party Movement
Organizing Precincts Practices
Sarah Palin – Concluding Remarks
CD 19 Results
Ted Deutch is the winner for the Democrats with a 4:1 vote margin over Ben Graber.
In the Republican race, the vote was so close that a recall was expected, but a vote adjustment in Palm Beach County put Ed Lynch over the 0.5% margin and Joe Budd conceded.
The counts provided by the Supervisors of Election in Palm Beach and Broward Counties are as follows:
| Palm Beach | Broward | Total | |
| Joe Budd | 2585 | 689 | 3279 |
| Ed Lynch | 2547 | 773 | 3320 |
| Curt Price | 1199 | 371 | 1566 |
Turnout for this election was very light. In a district with 344,912 eligible voters, 36,278 people voted – that’s 10.5%. If you compare the parties, Democrats had the edge in turnout with 28,118 voting out of about 234228 or 12%, while 8160 Republicans voted out of about 110684 or 7%. Since a Republican win would need a big percentage of that party’s voters going to the polls, the lack of interest in the primary does not bode well.
Some pictures of our club’s first Right Night!
Pictures by Joy Stone:
Vote on Tuesday, February 2, for District 19 Special Election Primary
Early voting ended at 2pm Sunday 1/31.
Tuesday is your last chance to make a difference and turn out for your candidate. You can only vote in the primary if you are registered as a Democrat or Republican.
The polls are open from 7am – 7pm on Tuesday. Precinct and polling locations can be found here. Also checkout polling location changes to ensure that you are going to the correct place here!
For more information contact the Supervisor of Elections at (561) 656-6200 or go to the PBC Supervisor of Elections website.
Palm Beach Post Endorses Ted Deutch (Oh – and Joe Budd too)
In the typically insulting way that the Palm Beach Post treats conservatives everywhere, the primary endorsement of the editorial board starts:
“After the party’s upset Senate victory in Massachusetts, Republicans got so giddy as to wonder whether — even though party registration is 2-to-1 against them — they could win the congressional seat held since 1996 by Democrat Robert Wexler.
Unfortunately for the GOP, the two best candidates in Tuesday’s primary are Democrats. Among the three Republicans, by process of elimination, The Post recommends Joe Budd.”
Read the the whole sorry article HERE.
What do you think of Florida’s new High Speed Rail?
Here are some facts (as found on google and calculated)
| $1,250,000,000.00 Hi Speed Rail System | ||
| 330 Miles between Orlando and Tampa, Orlando and Miami (via Cocoa Beach) | ||
| $3,787,878.79 Cost per Mile | ||
| 18,300,000 Florida’s Population in 2009 | ||
| $68.31 Cost Per Resident | ||
| 80,000,000 Est. Annual Visitors | ||
| $15.63 Cost Per Visitor | ||
Donna from Manatee County sends the Donna from Manatee asked the following:
Do you remember?
In 2004 The state of Florida asked the citizens to vote on whether not to fund the proposed high speed rail project that the President Obama plans on implementing on our behalf.
WE REPEALED THE PROJECT AND DENIED THE STATE OF FLORIDA THE FUNDS FROM THE TAX PAYER TO BUILD THE PROJECT!
THIS IS THE LAW OF FLORIDA. Please go to the following Florida state website to see the actual outcome.
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/initiatives/initdetail.asp?account=34876&seqnum=2
If Governor Crist accepts the federal funding to start the project, he is – without authority of the citizens – superseding the 4,519,423 voters ( in a landslide – 64% of Florida) who repealed the law.
What legal authority does he have? Do you know? I would like to know why would we vote if our leaders can ignore us?
Convential Wisdom in the District 19 Race
The Sun-Sentinel is running a story today by political writer Anthony Man which suggests that the coronation of Ted Deutch is practically assured, barring a “politically cataclysmic surprise”.
He points out the lack of experience of the Republican candidates, and the popularity of Ted Deutch whose State Senate district 30 contains more than half of the registered voters in CD19. He argues that just about every Democrat politician and interest group in the area has endorsed Deutch.
Read the full story HERE.
What is missing from the article is any more than a cursory mention of Scott Brown’s win in Massachusetts – something he considers a fluke. Since on the national level, the spin machine is cranked up to paint that win as “anger against 8 years of George W. Bush”, we should not expect any better understanding on the local level.
It is a long shot for sure, but there are several things that could favor a Deutch opponent:
1. Ted Deutch can be defeated in this district with only 25% Republicans if he is effectively tied to the Obama Agenda – something as unpopular here as it was in Massachusetts. In particular, the Obama attack on Medicare should be driven home with 53% of the voters being over the age of 56.
2. Turnout in a special election can be expected to be low. Effective grass roots get-out-the-vote efforts can help swing this factor in our favor, but the other side knows this too and the Democrat strongholds like Century Village are easier to mobilize than the suburbs. A large volunteer force that has put aside its primary differences and united behind a nationalized message will be needed to make a difference.
3. The Democrat has a large advantage in fund raising and name recognition. When the primary is over though, the Republican candidate may be able to tap a nation-wide pool of resources, much like Brown and Hoffman. This is definitely a race where the national grass roots networks can make a difference.
If any of the Republican candidates appear at our lunch meeting on 1/27, we should ask them for their own assessment of this article and what their strategy will be to overcome the disadvantages in party identification and campaign cash. If not, there is an opportunity to see them in a Town Hall format at the 9-12 Project event in Wellington that evening.
Article by Kimberly Mitchell in 1/24/10 Sun-Sentinel
Kimberly Mitchell, West Palm Beach City Commissioner and daughter of our club’s 2nd VP Anita Mitchell, has a cover page article/opinion piece in the Outlook section of today’s Sunday Sun-Sentinel. Congratulations Kimberly!
Entitled: Promising program to battle issues facing children living in poverty getting a start in West Palm Beach Harlem’s “Children’s Zone” tackles issues block-by-block the article begins with:
When a child’s eyes open for the first time, the future is bright and filled with promise. But for children in the impoverished parts of our communities, that future is often diminished by the time they take their first steps.
All too often, it is a life that begins with a teenage mother and, sometimes, a 35-year old grandmother. Poorly educated, under-employed and facing an uncertain future — these parents often do not know how to raise a child.
The entire article can be found here.
January 27 – Inaugural Evening Meeting (Duffy’s)
For our friends who cannot make lunch,
WE HEARD YOU! —
In 2010, we begin a new era (as in the new era when we take back our Congress). Come meet our SURPRISE, SPECIAL GUEST.
Wednesday, January 27th
5:30 pm Meet & Greet
6:00 pm Program Begins
Duffy’s Sports Bar (Private Room)
701 Village Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL
$5 Members / $5 Guests
RSVP by noon Mon., Jan 25
(561) 697-4911-BA Starkey
or E-mail: info@gopclubpb.com
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January 27 Club Meeting – Guest Former Florida Senator Curt Kiser
Jan 27 Curt Kiser – History GOP (Bear Lakes CC)
Former Florida Senator Curt Kiser
General Counsel,
Florida Public Service Commission
(former Gen. Counsel to Gov. Claude Kirk; & champion of environmental concerns with Theodore Roosevelt Society and Governor’s Commission on the Everglades)
TOPIC: Perspective of the history of Florida’s Republican Party and the Legislature; how we got where we are today.
Wednesday, January 27th
11:30 am Meet & Greet
12:00 pm Program Begins
Bear Lakes Country Club
1901 Village Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL
$20 Members / $25 Guests
Complimentary Valet
Please No Jeans and No Cell Phones
RSVP by noon Mon., Jan 25
(561) 697-4911-BA Starkey
or E-mail: info@gopclubpb.org
Event Tracking
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