A.G. Gancarski
A week ago, Fred Costello signaled his intention to remain in the GOP primary in Congressional District 6. And in a story, we got a fact wrong.
“Costello’s narrative is already drawing skepticism from informed sources, who note Costello cut a deal to leave the state House as part of the contentious race between Eric Eisnaugle and Chris Sprowls. Costello backed Eisnaugle. That support, some suggest, is a reason Speaker-Designate Richard Corcoran, a Sprowls backer, isn’t helping to clear the field for Costello jumping back into the state House race.”
Costello pushed back.
“Firstly,” Costello wrote, “I never have, and never will cut a political deal of any such sort … that is not who I am.”
“I find it quite ironic that BOTH Rep. Chris Sprowls and Speaker-Designate Richard Corcoran were special guests/hosts for a fundraiser for me recently in Tampa. And they actually attended and spoke on my behalf rather than just authorize use of their names,” Costello added, saying there “OBVIOUSLY [is] no contentiousness between any of us!”
Costello notes that “Corcoran called me when the news came out and specifically offered to make calls for me if I would come back to Tallahassee. I told him I was truly honored that he called. But I said ‘no thanks’ because I had pledged to Tom Leek (running for ‘my’ seat) that if Congressman DeSantis got back into the Congressional race I would not go back into the House race … and although evidently it is highly unusual, I keep my word.”
Costello’s narrative was verified by a primary source: Corcoran himself.
“Sorry for delay. All true,” Corcoran wrote in an email.
So, for those keeping score: we were wrong about Costello not having a path back to the State House. It would have been cleared for him. But he didn’t want it.
