Wallace: Sarasota exerts pull on GOP contenders

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Even though Florida is poised to move its presidential primary election back to mid-March in 2016, the region is still proving to be a big draw for GOP candidates for the White House.

Sarasota Republican Party chairman Joe Gruters said weeks after U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee visited, former Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich is next up, planning to be in Sarasota on March 17 to meet with party activists.

Gruters already has a confirmation from retired surgeon Ben Carson, who opened his presidential exploratory committee last week, to appear in late April and a potential event lined up for real estate tycoon Donald Trump later this spring. Trump has said he is considering running for president in 2016.

Ehrlich may not be as well known as Trump and Carson, but the former governor has been making regular trips to early primary state New Hampshire and testing his message as a former chief executive from a Democratic-leaning state.

Gruters said his intention is to bring all of the contenders through the area. He said some of the people won’t be as well known, but it’s a chance for local Republicans to see all of the candidates up close. And for the candidates, it’s a chance to get in front of a deep-pocketed donor base and a strong activist base.

In 2011, another low-profile GOP candidate, Rick Santorum, met entrepreneur Jesse Biter at a Sarasota event. Biter became one of his top donors on the way to winning the Iowa caucus in 2012 and briefly derailing Mitt Romney’s quest for the GOP nomination. Similarly in 2011, low-profile GOP candidate Jon Huntsman rolled through the area and filled a meeting hall with more than 300 people to hear him speak — one of his largest audiences during his entire campaign for the White House.

Ehrlich will hit a pair of events in Sarasota County on March 17. First he speaks at a noon lunch at Michael’s On East, 1212 East Ave. S. Then at 4:30 p.m. he speaks at an event at the South Venice Community Center.

For more information, visit SarasotaGOP.com.

Lining up early

State Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, cannot even file to run for the Florida Senate in 2016 yet, but that is not stopping potential candidates from lining up to replace him in case he does.

Osprey Republican Robert Wyatt last week filed to run to replace Pilon in House District 72 next year, even though Pilon is still a candidate for re-election himself in 2016.

In January, Pilon filed to run for the Florida Senate in 2018, but has said he would shift to run for the seat in 2016 instead if current Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, leaves the Senate early to run for the County Commission.

If he jumps, then Wyatt says he wants to run for Pilon’s seat.

One thing is clear: Wyatt said he is not interested in running against Pilon if he doesn’t run for the Senate.

“It’s contingent on Ray running for the Senate,” said Wyatt, who was appointed to the State College Board of Trustees a year ago by Gov. Rick Scott.

Wyatt said he is running to bring more attention to securities fraud and how the brokerage industry preys on investors.

Colon gets another term

Manatee County Republican John Colon will get another term on the state Board of Education.

Scott re-appointed the University Park Republican to a term that expires in 2018. Colon, 63, has already been on the Board of Education since February 2013.

Florida’s Board of Education plays a critical role in hiring the state education commissioner, developing statewide testing programs for students and creating evaluation programs for teachers.

Colon has been active in the United Negro College Fund for a decades and is the former chairman of the Sarasota Housing Authority.

Scott also reappointed Gary Chartrand, of Ponte Vedra Beach, to a new term on the seven-member board. Chartrand is the current board chairman.

Area political events

Monday: Community activist Jono Miller speaks to the Sarasota Council of Neighborhood Associations — or CONA — about the the county’s history of conservation land preservation efforts. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Sarasota Garden Club, 1131 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota.
• The League of Women Voters of Manatee County holds a forum about federal campaign finance reform starting at noon at the Bradenton Woman’s Club, 1705 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. Frank Alcock, associate professor of political science at New College of Florida, and Rhana Bazzini are scheduled to speak at the free event.

Tuesday: Ayse Somersan, an economics expert, speaks to the Lakewood Ranch Democratic Club about her assessment of President Obama’s economic policies. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at The Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch.

Wednesday: The Republican Club of South Sarasota County meets at 11 a.m. at the Venice Gardens Civic Association, 406 E. Shamrock Blvd., Venice.

Saturday: Jeffrey Orenstein, Co-publisher and Executive Editor of Living on the Suncoast Magazine, speaks to the Democratic Club of Sarasota starting at noon about ideas in his new book, Fixing American Government. The meeting is at noon at the Hyatt Regency, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota. Cost is $26 for members and $28 for nonmembers and walk-ins.

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Jeremy Wallace

Jeremy Wallace has covered politics for more than 15 years. He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4966. ""More Wallace" Make sure to "Like" HT Politics on Facebook for all your breaking political news.
Last modified: March 7, 2015
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