Peter Schorsch
For many candidates, making the tough decision to jump into a congressional race is usually informed by internal polls or district and opposition research.
That wasn’t the case for Republican state Rep. David Santiago.
The second-term HD 27 lawmaker held off entering the race for U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis’ CD 6 seat, despite favorable poll numbers, until he got his marching orders from his friends in Washington, D.C.
“I was contemplating the opportunity to get into this race and it was at the hest of many calls of people who are in D.C. that are affiliated,” Santiago said on “The Marc Bernier Show,” a Daytona Beach talk show. “Some are in the consulting business, some are from within the party.”
The former Deltona city commissioner said he “just didn’t see the path to victory” and had decided to “stand on the sidelines” until his telephone started ringing off the hook.
“I tell you what Mark, over the last three to four weeks, those calls started again after the Supreme Court changed the lines,” Santiago said in January.
Bernier told Santiago, “I can sense too, the type of man you are in that you did not do this lightly.” Indeed. It just took a nudge from the usual suspects on K Street.
It sure is nice to have friends help out with the tough decisions, isn’t it?
