Phil Ammann
The debate between two Northeast Florida Republicans over who is “most conservative” flared up once again in the Senate District 6 special election.
Last week, candidate “Doc” Renuart fired back at his chief GOP opponent in the Jan. 27 special primary saying Travis Hutson was much more than an employee of Hutson Companies, the Jacksonville land development firm founded by his father.
Renuart is also doubling down on claims of a New Year’s Eve direct mailer, which said Hutson made “personal and/or shareholder” contributions to a number of Democrats.
Previously, Hutson said he had no control over the company’s political contributions, calling on his opponent to provide proof he ever “personally donated” to any Democrat, which prompted the Renuart campaign to respond.
According to spokesperson Ryan Wiggins, Hutson was indeed involved in the contributions, such as those to state Reps. Reggie Fullwood and Mia Jones, gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink and “Democrat/Republican/Independent” Charlie Crist in his 2010 U.S. Senate campaign against Marco Rubio.
“Mr. Hutson didn’t just ‘work’ for the company that donated to the Democrats,” Wiggins said in an email, “he was, in fact, a major shareholder and Vice President.
Hutson “didn’t dispute that companies he was a major shareholder in gave money to Democrats, just that he didn’t make them personally,” she added. “The mailer also did not make that claim.”
Wiggins said Hutson was either a “personal and/or company shareholder contributor.” And as such, he is “absolutely and unequivocally responsible” for the actions of the enterprise.
“Unfortunately for Mr. Hutson and his campaign,” she said, “there is nothing factually incorrect in that mailer.”
In addition, Wiggins pointed out that Hutson has not once disputed that he “personally threw his full support” behind Charlie Crist over Rubio.
To support the claim, Wiggins released copies of FEC forms showing receipts for $4,800 in campaign contributions – in Hutson’s name — to the Charlie Crist for U.S. Senate campaign. The receipts, dated February 2010, were nearly two years after Hutson became Vice President.
“How can he claim to have not had knowledge/participation in those donations?” Wiggins asked.
Of course, in 2010, Crist had already left the Republican Party, running against Rubio as an Independent.
Despite Renuart’s persistence, Hutson’s campaign says the claims in the flyer are absolutely without merit.
Not only did Hutson not personally give to Democrats, says spokesperson Lyndsey Cruley, but a closer look at the records proves that he was not even a “shareholder contributor” in Hutson Companies — making the mailer’s original assertion “completely false.”
Hutson and Renuart, both sitting state Representatives, are facing off – along with Dennis McDonald – to replace former state Sen. John Thrasher in District 6, a reliably Republican seat that covers St. Johns, Flagler and Putnam counties and a portion of Volusia County. The winner faces Democrat David Cox in the special general election on April 7.
Clip of the original Renuart comparison mailer, claiming Hutson was a “personal and/or company shareholder” contributor:
Copy of the itemized receipt for contributions to Independent Charlie Crist’s Senate campaign in 2010:
