A.G. Gancarski
In a rare endorsement in a Northeast Florida race, U.S. Sen. John McCain endorsed Hans Tanzler in the Congressional District 4 race Wednesday.
The endorsement is rooted in family legacy and the candidate’s father’s relationship to POWs, McCain said.
“I know firsthand how much the Tanzler family cares for veterans above all else,” said McCain. “Mayor Tanzler took care of my family while I was a POW in Vietnam. He always gave special attention and care to my fellow veterans and their families. I know and trust that Hans Tanzler will do the same for all Florida families.”
McCain has a historical connection to the Jacksonville area; his family lived here for a dozen years beginning in the Vietnam War era and extending to the late 1970s … a timeframe that coincided with the Tanzler mayoralty, which saw the mayor give McCain the key to the city.
Tanzler, polling a strong third in the latest St. Pete Poll of CD 4 candidates, had the following reaction to the endorsement:
“I am honored to have the support of an American hero like John McCain,” said Tanzler. “His courage in the most extreme circumstances in Vietnam and his leadership in Washington are examples of true patriotism. I appreciate his kind words and endorsement, and I look forward to working with him.”
