Peter Schorsch
Amid recent reports of bitter intra-GOP infighting in the Florida Legislature, the Republican Party of Florida is sending several mailers to conservative voters in Central Florida to bolster three House incumbents.
Perhaps in response to criticism the party is frittering away valuable resources on “palace intrigue” ahead of a tough 2016 campaign thought to favor Democrats, Florida GOP chairman – and sitting state representative – Blaise Ingoglia has authorized mail pieces designed to protect Reps. Mike Miller, Bob Cortes and Rene Plasencia, each of whom face touch re-election battles in 2016.
The Orange County Republican Executive Committee is reportedly considering establishing a separate campaign fund to protect these incumbents out of a mistaken concern that Ignoglia and incoming Speaker Richard Corcoran won’t do everything they can to keep these seats.
All three legislators unseated incumbent Democrats last year in Central Florida districts which skew Democratic during high-turnout presidential cycles, but favor Republicans in gubernatorial off-years.
Miller thwarted locally popular former Orange County Commissioner Linda Stewart‘s re-election bid in HD 47, which takes in the centrist-leaning east Orlando neighborhoods of Winter Park and Belle Isle.
Attorney Henry Lim will try to avenge his fallen co-partisan who, despite a concerted effort that saw the Florida Democratic Party dispatching canvassers and mailers promoting the former Orange County commissioner’s moderate record, lost to Miller 52 to 48.
Bob Cortes narrowly unseated beloved Democratic Rep. Karen Castor Dentel last year and faces attorney and political newcomer Ryan Yadav, who will seek to ride electoral tailwinds to victory in the “tilts Republican” seat.
HD 49 is the perhaps the most coveted swing district in Central Florida, with the seat changing hands between the parties since it was first drawn in 2012.
It’s generally considered the political “firewall” between conservative Seminole County and left-leaning Orange County.
Rep. Tom Goodson tried to ease the path for Rene “Coach P” Plasencia’s reelection next year by moving to an adjoining district, but that plan may be abandoned as Sen. Thad Altman‘s tactical preemptive filing in the HD 51 seat Goodson had eyed complicated matters last month.
That may mean Plasencia will have to face Democrat Carlos Guillermo Smith head to head in a Democratic-leaning seat referred to by many locals as “the UCF seat” for its proximity to the relatively progressive University of Central Florida.
For now though, Plasencia is gearing up for a run in HD 50 where he has a lot of catching up to do in terms of name ID. Voters there will get to know him soon.
All three Republicans will likely need backup from the mothership in Tallahassee and by the looks of things today, they will get it.
The dual-purpose mailers contain petitions to help the candidate qualify for the ballots as well as highlight their legislative achievements. They are set to hit mailboxes this week.
