Joe Henderson
Mike Fasano is an old-guard Republican in deep-red Pasco County, where he is the Tax Collector. He led Pasco’s Young Republicans, and eventually became Majority Leader of the Florida House and President Pro Temp of the Senate.
Foremost, though, he is a decent human being.
He is close friends with some of Tallahassee’s most powerful members of the GOP. Fasano also has a deserved reputation for standing on principle and thoughtfully speaking his mind.
So, some might have been surprised when Fasano declared Thursday that he is a “Biden Republican” in the presidential race.
I wasn’t.
We chatted recently about another topic, but soon drifted off-topic to Donald Trump. Fasano’s distress was obvious. I can’t say I expected him to release a video broadside against Trump on the day the President held a rally in Tampa, but the timing couldn’t be better.
He called Trump “an embarrassment.”
“His lack of decency, compassion, integrity, and patriotism is so far removed from the Reagan Revolution — which included Reagan Democrats and Reagan independents — it’s unrecognizable,” he said.
With the election just days away now, Trump has problems that run deeper than Biden. Moderate Republicans like Fasano are abandoning him and making no secret of why.
There’s no need to run the list of Trump’s greatest hits. For the last four years, we’ve been beaten to exhaustion by his bluster, insults, lack of empathy, incompetence, and lying. One head-shaking news story gives way to another and another before we even have a chance to process the first.
Fasano encapsulated perfectly what this race is about.
It’s much more about decency and honesty than policy differences.
Fasano remains popular in Pasco and his words might cause at least a few undecided people to think twice on Election Day. He never had a problem speaking truth to power.
In 2012, the Senate was divided over a prison privatization plan favored by then-Gov. Rick Scott.
Fasano was head of a subcommittee that oversaw prison budgets. He stood in vocal opposition to the plan. Senate President Mike Haridopolos stripped Fasano of the post, saying Fasano “was not rowing in the same direction” with leadership.
The plan failed.
Fasano had his say, telling MSNBC, “It’s unfortunate when leaders of the Senate can’t lose like gentlemen.”
The word “gentleman” is out of place in this Republican Party. It chooses insults over dialogue and bullying over negotiation.
A guy like Fasano can only take so much of that.
That’s why for the first time he’ll vote for a Democrat as President.
It may be the last time that happens.
However, he’s not cowering. He’s not afraid to stand for what he believes.
9 comments
S B ANTHONY
October 29, 2020 at 7:29 pm
Thanks for this context. In juxtaposition with Scott, it explains a lot about Fasano and his decision to put country over party and decency over corruption.
Jim Donelon
October 29, 2020 at 8:21 pm
The Republican Party that Mike belongs to doesn’t exist anymore. With the likes of Rubio, Scott and DeSantis the GOP is on it’s deathbed.
James Robert Miles
October 29, 2020 at 8:46 pm
Gee, there is at least one Republican with a brain who knows what an embarrassment Trump really is! And he is NOT a troll Charlotte!
Gregory P Smith
October 29, 2020 at 9:00 pm
I am glad to see some Republicans put country before party. I am not surprised that Mike Fasano is one of them. I say that as a guy who voted for John Kasich in the 2016 Republican primary, but for Hillary Clinton in the general election. You might not like the person running against your party’s candidate, but if your party got hijacked by a corrupt, incompetent, sociopath, vote your conscience.
Ray Blacklidge
October 30, 2020 at 9:00 am
Mike is a nice guy who the people like. He however, being an elected Republican, he is part of the Republican Party Machine and to publicly not to support the head of the Party is a breach of his Party Loyalty Oath. If he wants to change the Party, do it from the inside like everyone else, not like his friend Charlie Crist did.
Jay
October 30, 2020 at 3:51 pm
Well we know someone is deep in pockets with the swamp.
Trump has brought endless jobs, lowest unemployment for minorities, opportunity zones, long-term funding for HBCUs(which Obama refused to do), huge tax cuts and has created an adminsitration based on humanity, decency, and transparency. He is working to end human trafficking. His administration has released people from jail from Bidens’ crime bill. He has lowered drug prices. And this is all just to name a tiny but important few.
You have to study this stuff and listen to him for yourself.
6 companies control the worlds’ Mass Media and you can’t trust them. Remember the Church Committee from the 70s?
If not, check out this link: https://youtu.be/cDCfTIapds0
Kristin
October 30, 2020 at 4:16 pm
Fasano can say this now because he is running unapposed.
Tom
November 1, 2020 at 12:29 pm
It sounds like a summary you’d find in The Onion (satirical online magazine): Trump “created an administration based on humanity, decency, and transparency”… too damn funny.
Jason
November 2, 2020 at 5:21 am
Mike Fasano is a joke and when he is up for re-election the voters will not forget he is a Traitor ! How much did they pay you to switch sides and become a socialist boot licker ?
Trump 2020🇺🇸
Comments are closed.