2010 Florida Republican Primary Candidate Recommendations

Here are my recommendations for the Florida Republican Primary election. Early voting began today and continues through August 22, 2010. The election itself is on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

• U. S. Senator from Florida: William Escoffery III
• Governor of Florida: Rick Scott
• Attorney General of Florida: Holly Benson
• Florida State Senator District 8: Charles Perniciaro
• Florida State Representative District 16: Charles McBurney
• Florida Fourth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Group 25: Samuel P. Garrison

As always, whether you agree with my choices or not, I urge you to vote. Below is detailed information on all the candidates and how to contact them so you can make your own decisions.

2010 Primary Candidates

 Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Early Voting for Primary: Tues., August 9 - Sun., August 22, 2010

Last Day to Request Absentee Ballot for Primary: Wed., August 18, 2010

Last Day to Register to Vote or Change Registration for General Election: Mon., October 4, 2010

Last Day to Request Absentee Ballot for General Election: Wed., October 27, 2010

General Election: Tues., November 2, 2010

For More Information:

Jerry Holland, Duval County Supervisor of Elections

105 E. Monroe St., Jacksonville, FL 32202

(904) 630-1414

 

U. S. Senator

 

William Escoffery III

 

Address:
265 Country Club Road
Shalimar, FL 32579
Phone: (850)225-7228
Website: www.senatebill.us/
Email: Dr.Escoffery@senatebill.us/

 

Medical doctor. "Bible-believing Christian"

Platform:

• Limit big government (reduce taxes & regulations)
• Cut taxes
• Expand jobs (free market; stop bail-outs)
• Protect life (pro-life)
• Keep America safe (identify terrorism, prosecute terrorists under military tribunals)
• Guard our borders (stop illegal immigration & deport illegals here; no amnesty)
• Control the courts
• Root out corruption
• Restore Bible values
• Strengthen the family
• Defend U.S. sovereignty
• Safeguard individual rights

William Billy Kogut

 

Address:

12 Winchester Road

Ormond Beach, FL 32174

Phone: (386) 316-3133

Website: http://kogut2010.intuitwebsites.com/

Businessman & realtor in Flagler County since 1995. Memer of the Flagler County Planning Board. Former Municipal Chairman for Wallington, New Jersey. "Bible-believing Christian"

 

Platform:

• Protect our Constitution
• Repeal Obama Care
• Strongly Support our Military
• Oppose Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants
• Audit U.N. and Federal Reserve
• Supports Fair Tax
• Pro-gun
• Pro-life
• Supports traditional marriage

Marco Rubio

 

Address

4027 South LeJeune Road

Coral Gables, FL 33146

Website: http://www.marcorubio.com

Email: marcorubioforsenate@gmail.com

 

Private-practice lawyer & visiting professor at Florida International University’s Metropolitan Center. From 2000-2008, Rubio served in the Florida House of Representatives. During this period, he served as Majority Whip, Majority Leader and Speaker of the House.

 

Positions:

• Anti-amnesty for illegals and pro border security, employment verification.
• Pro-gun: "A" rating with NRA & endorsed by Gun Owners of America
• Opposes cap-and-trade carbon tax
• Opposed Obama's stimulus plans
• Supports balanced budget amendment & line-item veto
• Pro-life

Agenda in Florida House:

• lower taxes
• better schools
• a leaner and more efficient government
• free market empowerment
• protect private property rights
• championed a major overhaul of the Florida tax system that would have eliminated all property taxes on primary residences in favor of a flat consumption tax
• blocking the expansion of gambling in Florida

Endorsed by: Jeb Bush, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani, The Club for Growth, Associated Builders & Contractors of Florida, FL Right to Life, Eagle Forum

 

FL Governor

 

Mike McCalister

 

Address

3201 Foxden Lane

Plant City, FL 33565

Phone: (727) 641-4873

Website: http://mikemccalister4governor.com/ or http://mikemccalister.com/

Email: bmccalister@earthlink.net

 

Single parent, retired USAF Colonel, educator, small-business owner, health care professional, farmer. PhD in Management

 

Websites have long list of endorsements and resume but no information on issue positions. Both seem to be primarily aimed to sell his book, The Right Future for Florida and You… Starting Right Now!

 

Bill McCollum

 

Address

Post Office Box 915006 or 

 

Longwood, FL 32791

Phone: (850) 241-1885

Website: http://billmccollum.com

Email: info@BillMcCollum.com

 

Florida Attorney General; former U.S. Representative

 

Positions:

• Pro-gun rights: "A" rating with NRA
• Illegal immigration: supports amended AZ law; opposed amnesty; voted to make hiring illegals illegal; pro-English language
• Economy & Jobs: wrote “Real Solutions, New Jobs: A Roadmap to Florida’s Future” with Steve Forbes. It provide tax relief, regulatory reform, litigation reform, and property tax cuts, and to improve Florida’s education, transportation, water and energy infrastructure.
• Pro-life: 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee.
• First Attorney General to file suit against Obamacare, which 19 other states have joined now.

Endorsements: Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, Ander Crenshaw, Cliff Stearns, etc., FL Right to Life - A rating

 

Rick Scott

 

Address

1400 Gulf Shore Blvd., North

Suite 148

Naples, FL 34102 or

 

300 S.E. 2nd Street

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301

Phone: (954) 915-3360

Website: www.rickscottforflorida.com

Email: info@rickscottforflorida.com

 

Businessman: former Founder & CEO of Columbia/HCA hospital system & Solantic Urgent Care Centers. Started Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, an organization founded to defend free market principles in health care that focused successfully on defeating President Obama’s government-run public option plan. Supports and has attended & spoken at Tea Party rallies.

 

Positions:

• Cut government workforce by 5%
• Phase out the corporate income tax
• Reduce regulations
• Cut state property taxes by 19%
• Pro-gun: highest rating from NRA & Unified Sportsmen of Florida
• Pro-life: wants Roe v. Wade overturned
• Illegal immigration: bring AZ's new law here; opposes amnesty
• 7-7-7 Plan: these 7 steps will create 700,000 jobs in 7 years:
• 1. Implement Accountability Budgeting
• 2. Reduce Government Spending
• 3. Enact Regulatory Reform
• 4. Focus on Job Growth and Retention
• 5. Invest in World Class State Universities
• 6. Reduce Property Taxes
• 7. Phase out the Business Income Tax 

Endorsements: FL Right to Life - A rating

 

FL Attorney General

 

Holly Benson

 

Address

2640-A Mitcham Drive

Tallahassee, FL 32308 or

 

P.O. Box 998

Tallahassee, FL 32302

Phone: 850-224-3800

Website: http://www.hollybenson.com

 

Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration; former Secretary of the Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation and State Representative

 

Positions:

• Will continue lawsuit against Obamacare & supports tort reform
• Will support AZ's illegal immigration law for FL Hold the federal government accountable for the costs to Florida’s taxpayers of illegal immigrants who attend our schools, receive care in our health care facilities and consume needed services.
• Pro-gun: A+ rating from NRA
• Pro-life & pro-family: 100% rating from the Christian Coalition as a state rep.

Endorsements: cross-section of local and state officials

 

Pam Bondi

 

Address

610 South Boulevard

Tampa, FL 33606

Phone: 866-246-9110

Fax: 866-702-3290

Website: http://www.pambondi.com/

Email: info@pambondi.com

 

Prosecutor for 18 years. Hillsborough County elections records show Bondi registered to vote as a Democrat in 1984 and switched to Republican on July 21, 2000. Election records also show Bondi didn't always vote when she had the chance. She skipped party primary elections in 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2002 and 2008. She did not cast a ballot in the last presidential primary in January 2008.

 

Positions:

• Pro-gun: A rating from NRA
• Supports AZ immigration law for FL
• Wants to stop Obamacare
• Pro-life

Endorsements: Bob Martinez (her campaign chairman), Associated Builders & Contractors of FL, Associated Industries of FL, Chamber of Commerce of FL, and the pro-life Susan B. Anthony Candidate List Fund. 4 of the 5 largest newspapers in Florida: St.Petersburg Times, Miami Herald, Tampa Tribune and the Orlando Sentinel

 

Jeff Kottkamp

 

Address
Post Office Box 10787

Tallahassee, FL 32302

Phone: 850-701-2377

Website: http://www.jeffkottkamp.com/

Email: info@JeffKottkamp.com

 

Lt. Governor of FL; former State Representative

 

Issues:

• Pro-gun: A+ rated by the NRA. Co-sponsor of the Castle Doctrine law. Banned government from registering guns owned by individuals. Stopped the anti-gun lobby from filing frivolous lawsuits against gun makers and owners of shooting ranges.
• Supports AZ immigration law for FL. Would sue the federal government to recover the millions of dollars paid out each year by our taxpayers as a result of illegal immigrants in our state.
• Pro-life: Sponsor of the Parental Notification bill signed into law by Governor Jeb Bush. Led the fight to punish drunk drivers who kill unborn babies. Faith and Family Award presented by the Christian Coalition. Defender of Life Award by the Florida Catholic Conference.
• Will continue lawsuit against Obamacare. Has successfully sued the federal government in the past. Supports Tenth Amendment

Endorsements: Florida Police Benevolent Association, Florida Fraternal Order of Police, Florida Right to Life PAC, Connie Mack, FL Right to Life

 

State Senator Dist. 8

 

Charles Perniciaro

 

Address

Post Office Box 331178

Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

Phone: (904) 372-4494

Website: www.charlesperniciaro.com

Email: senatorcp@aol.com

 

Medical doctor, the Director of Dermatopathology at Bernhardt Laboratories. Member of Beach United Methodist Church. Recently changed voter registration from Democrat to Republican. "I've always been a conservative. I've been working to help Republicans get elected throughout my entire career. My contribution records from the Florida Division of Elections, going back 15 years, are public record. All of those contributions were to Republicans and committees that support tort reform. No Democrats. I've also hosted fund raisers in my home for Republican candidates. My prior voter registration was from the days when conservatives were all Democrats in the South. Although I didn't get around to correcting my party registration at the courthouse until recently, I‘ve lived and voted as a Republican for a long time. This primary will be a referendum on what it means to be a Republican, and about which Republican is running for the right reasons."

 

Issues:

• Refuses to accept PAC donations to campaign
• Jobs are the first priority. Spend money on backlogged transportation projects. Reduce regulations.
• Opposed Thrasher's SB 6 for education reform, which was vetoed by Gov. Crist and had wide opposition.
• Illegal immigrants should not be eligible for state or federal benefits. Ports & borders must be secured. Prosecute illegals & businesses that hire them.
• Opposes Obamacare. Limit Medicaid to set budget.
• Pro-gun.

Endorsements: the Republican Liberty Caucus of NE FL, the Jacksonville Liberty Journal.
 

John Thrasher

 

Address

4963 Beach Boulevard

Jacksonville, FL 32207 or

 

109 Premiere Vista Way

St. Augustine, 32080 Phone 904-607-2226

Phone 904-607-2226

Website: http://electthrasher.com/

 

State Representative; former Speaker-of-the-House. Interim chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Florida co-chair for the George W. Bush for President campaign in 2004. Former chairman of the Board of Trustees of Florida State University. Former Clay County School Board member; chairman and vice chairman. Former Counsel to the Jacksonville law firm of Smith Hulsey & Busey. Former partner of Southern Strategy Group, a Tallahassee-based governmental relations firm.

 

Positions:

• Keep taxes low
• Grow our job base and our local economy
• Improve our children’s education
• Preserve the St. Johns River and our beautiful beaches

Endorsements: NRA and Unified Sportsmen of Florida, , Florida Police Benevolent Association and the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Florida United Businesses, the Florida Right to Life Political Action Committee, Mitt Romney, Ander Crenshaw, Jeb Bush, FL Right to Life

 

State Representative Dist. 16

 

Charles McBurney

 

Address

6326 Christopher Creek Road E.

Jacksonville, FL 32217 or

 

76 S. Laura St., Ste. 590

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904)731-7726 or (904) 798-0002

Website: http://www.votemcburney.com/

 

State Representative. Lawyer. Former Assistant State Attorney (prosecutor). Deacon in South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.

 

Issues:

• Sponsored & passed Civics Education bill.
• Combat gangs and gang-related violence
• Voted to balance the State's budget every year
• Led the fight to make our schools more accountable and to improve their performance by directing more dollars into the classroom
• Introduced “Florida Taxpayers Protection Act”, House Bill 1197. The legislation would tax non-residents on Florida property transferred as a result of estate or inheritance to the extent a State imposes an estate or inheritance tax on Floridians for property in that other state.

Endorsements: NRA, John Delaney, Ed Austin, FL Right to Life

 

Luis Melendez

 

Address:
1401 Riverplace Boulevard, #610

Jacksonville, FL 32207

Phone: (904)962-8932

Website: www.electmelendez.com

 

An Allied Health Professional and a medical educator at a Jacksonville technical college. Small business owner, President of the Florida State Assembly of the Association of Surgical Technologists. A naturalized American citizen who served honorably in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman with the Fleet Marine Force serving the United States Marine Corps.

 

Issues:

• Support sports' teams such as the Jaguars for economic impact they bring.
• Have criminals serve their full sentence and make prisons more spartan or restrict privileges.
• Government benefits should be time-limited & require drug screening.
• Supports Fair Tax. No tax increases -- cut spending.
• Pro-gun: member of NRA.
• Supports term limits.
• Supports school choice with student accountability for grades made if receive gov't. assistance to attend private schools.
• Pro-life.
• Supports AZ's immigration law & pro-English.

Endorsements: Republican Liberty Caucus

 

Fourth Circuit Court Judge Group 25

 

Samuel P. Garrison

 

Address

1223 Orange Circle North

Orange Park, FL 32073 or

 

221 N. Hogan St., Suite 382

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904)303-5212

Website: http://www.garrisonforjudge.com/

E-mail: Garrison@garrisonforjudge.com

 

Assistant State Attorney, Senior Prosecutor in Homicide & Major Crimes; previously in the Special Assault & Repeat Offenders' division. Member of New Grace Church of Fleming Island. Founder of Clay County Victims' Services. Past Chairman of the Clay County Task Force on Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence. Past member of the Orange Park Medical Center Board of Trustees. Young Life of Clay County committee member.

 

Endorsements: Jennifer Carroll, Steve Wise, Mike Weinstein, Matt Shirk, Lake Ray, John Rutherford.

 

Mark Hulsey

 

Address

200 East Forsyth Street

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904)353-7188

Website: http://www.votehulsey.com/

 

Certified Family Mediator & Child Custody Evaluator. Has practised law in 4 of the 5 areas covered by Circuit Court. Law educator at JU, FSCJ & UNF. Military veteran: Army Captain. Participated in Pro Bono work with the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid since 2000 and with the City Rescue Mission since 2000. Member of St. John's Episcopal Cathedral.

 

Endorsements: Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters, Association of Fire Chiefs, Duval Teachers United, Ed Austin, John Delaney, Jake Godbold, Tommy Hazouri, Martha Barrett, Nancy Broner, Vicki Drake, Brenda Preistly-Jackson, Daniel Davis, Michael Corrigan, Kevin Hyde, Dr. Johnny Gaffney, Mike Hogan, Jim Overton, Alberta Hipps, Kris Barns, Aaron Bean, ,Tony Hill, Betty Burney