21-year-old Alexander Pantinakis looks to make history in Duval GOP

Alexander Pantinakis is barely old enough to drink legally. That said, he is one of a few young people in Jacksonville with undeniably bright political futures. As treasurer of the Duval County Republican Party he was a tireless and unstinting voice during the just-concluded Jacksonville campaigns. Those in the know are very familiar with his behind-the-scenes advocacy on behalf of Sheriff Mike Williams, who came from behind in the polls to beat Democrat Ken Jefferson.

After having a high-profile role in a successful citywide campaign, what’s next for Pantinakis? If a letter he sent to his fellow Duval Republicans is any indication, he’s going to follow in the footsteps of Mayor Lenny Curry, and make a bid for state committeeman.

“As your State Committeeman,” Pantinakis writes, “I will put the ‘grassroots’ first. Our REC has a long, proud history of having committed Republicans knocking on doors, waving signs and making phone calls but we need to expand. In addition to our current hardworking volunteers, there is an untapped market of potential conservative-minded activists in the so-called ‘millennial’ generation. If we can begin to grow a new generation of volunteers and combine it with the established core we have now, it would go a long way toward ensuring victory next year.”

Pantinakis is front and center in that group of “committed Republicans,” having knocked on 1,500 doors in the last election cycle, in addition to his other duties and a fulltime schedule as a student at the University of North Florida.

Despite rumors that a former local party chairman has been looking into the race, Pantinakis has lined up key support in the party, including from Vice Chair Karyn Morton, who wrote in a letter, “I know that you will represent us well on the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Executive Committee. I know that you are committed to the grassroots of the Party and to reaching out to conservative-minded young people, the new ‘millennials’, and to members of various ethnic communities to expand our volunteer base and our voter registration.”

Pantinakis confirmed this weekend that he’s running to replace  Curry as state committeeman.

“I can’t do anything about my age,” he said, but he asserts that youth has benefited him in a “lot of ways” and that the “party needs more registered Republicans my age.”

Part of the secret to increasing the base is increasing the efficacy of outreach efforts.

Democrats have spent “a lot of time and money tailoring their message to young people,” said Pantinakis, while Republicans “haven’t reached out as well to that demographic.”

The secret to reaching the young? Messaging on economic issues, such as the national debt and unemployment, and letting those in college know how fiscal conservatism helps them with issues such as finding jobs after graduation.

Pantinakis cited the “record low labor participation rate” currently, a condition that especially resonates with college-age people, who are “concerned and worried.” He points out that President Obama, “elected in the Great Recession,” hasn’t “truly addressed economic problems.”

“We need to start focusing on the economy,” Pantinakis said, who also asserted that “our message has to be about the future.”

Questioned about the Human Rights Ordinance hot-button issue, Pantinakis said Curry “has a plan in mind to lead on this issue.” Will there be an official party position? He said none is expected, which is probably a wise move given significant resistance to the HRO among the party rank and file.

Regarding opposition, such as the former party chair mentioned above, Pantinakis is “trying to talk to every individual member of the REC” and, thus far, he’s gotten a “very positive” reaction, he said.

That is not surprising, given his close relationship with party leadership, such as Chairman Robin Lumb.

“Robin has done a phenomenal job,” Pantinakis said. “He brought in needed leadership. The victories are testament to the [quality of] the candidates, but Robin Lumb and Karyn Morton deserve credit.”

Leveraging current relationships and building new ones will be central to his mission going forward.

“It’s not lost on me that at the age of 21, a shot at this position is rare,” Pantinakis said. He seeks to build the reputation of the county party if elected, and to work closely with Florida GOP Chairman Blaise Ingoglia.