Ritch Workman combines holiday cheer with political checks

workman, ritch

State Rep. Ritch Workman, the Melbourne Republican and House Rules chairman, is inviting his Tallahassee friends – read “lobbyists” – to a “good old-fashioned Christmas party.”

The hope is they’ll bring their checkbooks, though that’s “not required.”

In an email sent this month, Workman said he’d “made a lot of friends in this process (but) usually our ‘fellowship’ is at a typical fundraising event.” He was first elected in 2008 and is thus term-limited next year.

“Well, once a year I want to do something different,” he wrote. “I want to have my ‘Tallahassee friends’ (and their spouses) come together for a good old fashioned Christmas party.

“You and your peers are as close to office co-workers as I get as a State Representative,” he added. ” … Thank you and Merry Christmas, Ritch Workman (Not paid for at taxpayer expense).”

An attached flyer makes clear it’s a “political advertisement” for the event, to be held Friday at the DoubleTree Hotel downtown.

An “open bar social hour” is set for 6 p.m., buffet dinner at 7 p.m., and a cash bar opens after 8 p.m.

There will also be a “White Elephant gift exchange with Ritch as the Emcee!! All guests bring a wrapped gift valued at $25.00 or less. Be as conservative or crazy as you wish!”

The flyer, however, makes clear: “To help offset costs, campaign contributions will be accepted but are absolutely not required.”

Workman Christmas Party Invitation

Jim Rosica

Jim Rosica is the Tallahassee-based Senior Editor for Florida Politics. He previously was the Tampa Tribune’s statehouse reporter. Before that, he covered three legislative sessions in Florida for The Associated Press. Jim graduated from law school in 2009 after spending nearly a decade covering courts for the Tallahassee Democrat, including reporting on the 2000 presidential recount. He can be reached at [email protected].



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