A.G. Gancarski
Former two-term New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer is announcing on Monday his candidacy for the Republican nomination in Florida’s Sixth Congressional District, which encompasses Putnam, Flagler, St. Johns, and Volusia Counties.
He certainly will not be the only Republican in the race. However, what sets this self-styled “conservative Republican” apart from some of his competition is his deep-seated ties to the district: especially to New Smyrna Beach itself, which he moved to in 1979, finished middle and high school there before coming back after college to build a life, with a successful career in the hospitality industry and a thriving family.
It’s that combination of locality and family values that lays the cornerstone for the narrative he hopes to share with District 6 voters.
“I grew up in New Smyrna Beach within the Sixth Congressional District of Florida, this is where I went to middle and high school, where I’ve built my successful small businesses and where the people here have twice elected me their hometown mayor. I know and love this part of our great state, and believe I am the best candidate to represent this area and our shared Republican values,” Barringer said in a written statement.
The candidate hopes to parlay his experience “as a successful small business owner” and his “knowledge of our district” to advance a free-market reform agenda focusing on “healthcare, tax reform, education, national defense, and our natural resources.
As well, like many Republicans, he is not a fan of the Affordable Care Act, dubbing it the “Un-Affordable Health Care Act.”
Additionally, Barringer is a critic of the current tax code, which he believes is onerous to typical American families and small business owners; he advocates the Fair Tax.
“Like millions of Americans who are just trying to manage their family finances or run a small business, I’ve had to battle with the IRS. The IRS tax regulations and statutes contain over 4 million words. It is fair to say, the statutes and codes are complicated, now add in the politics of the IRS. We all know the IRS blatantly targeted conservative groups, while we had a Democrat in the White House. These experiences have taught me one thing,” he writes. “We need to adopt the Fair Tax.”
Beyond the Fair Tax, Barringer also opposes “burdensome government regulation” and “red tape,” which he believes interferes with the ability for small businesses to create jobs.
He also describes the Obama Administration’s treatment of returning military veterans as “shameful,” which he has an up-close perspective on; his son, Colby, is a returning Marine.
His conservatism extends to the educational front, on which he believes that “we must return education and curriculum decisions to the local level. This starts with eliminating Common Core.”
Finally, another principle at the heart of his candidacy is a love for the region’s “rare and natural” resources. To that end, he cherishes good “stewardship and the protection of our natural resources,” citing this as a “responsibility handed down by our creator.”
Will Barringer be the heir apparent to current Congressman Ron DeSantis? One point in his favor is the strong reputation he has in Volusia County and surrounding areas. One possible scenario for this race could be that if a group of Republican candidates enter, the candidate with the strongest local ties might prevail in a crowded primary. If that happens, one cannot count this former mayor out.
