Peter Schorsch
Every campaign season presents lessons in vetting endorsers. That’s especially true when the endorser is on Florida’s registry of sex offenders.
Jacksonville Beach mayoral candidate Cory Nichols rolled out an endorsement from local musician John Earle last week.
“Incredibly honored to have the support of John Earle. His level of passion for the Jax Beach community and for his music greatly motivates me to win in November,” Nichols wrote.
“Knowing that he believes in what we’re doing and trusts me to lead,” Nichols added, “lets me know that we’re doing the right thing and that together we will win!”
Unfortunately, an issue from Earle’s past casts doubt on his ability to judge leadership capabilities.
In 2000, Earle — under his birth name John Earle Lewis — was added to the sex offender registry for lewd and lascivious conduct with a person under 16, by a person over 18.
Adjudication, it should be said, was withheld.
Lewis is registered with a permanent address in Orlando, which raises another question (beyond the obvious optics issues created with being endorsed by a registered sex offender) as to why someone living in Central Florida is endorsing in a Jacksonville Beach mayoral race.
We asked Nichols about this, and he had no knowledge of Lewis being part of the sex offender registry.
Nichols has gotten some more credible endorsements; most notably, from the Jacksonville Beach Association of Firefighters.
However, this is one endorsement the insurgent candidate will want to disavow.
We have reached out to Lewis, and will add comment once it is received.
