Mitch Perry
The Tampa Bay Times isn’t the only local organization David Jolly didn’t receive an endorsement from this weekend in his race for re-election to his 13th Congressional District seat against Democrat Charlie Crist.
The South Pinellas 912 Patriots has produced a voters guide for next month’s election, and the group’s list of candidates noticeably omits Jolly — one of only two local Republicans on next month’s ballot who isn’t getting the group’s backing.
The group has been a member of the national tea party movement since 2009. It’s most successful entry into electoral politics was their creation of No Tax for Tracks in 2014, the group formed to advocate against the passage of the Greenlight Pinellas transit tax measure.
The South Pinellas 912 Patriot’s list of endorsements is extensive. In addition to weighing in on judicial, legislative and county races, the group also gives their endorsements on state and county ballot measures.
Barb Haselden, one of the leaders of the South Pinellas 912 Patriots, was not available for comment.
Update — 9:57 a.m.: State Rep. Chris Latvala noted on Twitter that he, too, was not endorsed by this organization.
