An article from The Sarasota Phoenix -- the local media outlet that exposes corruption and injustice in Sarasota government and politics
BUCHANAN AND POZZIE MEET IN FIRST OF MANY APPERANCES AS POZZIE TAKES ON THE ESTABLISHMENT FOR A SEAT ON THE FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATURE
What shapes up to be one of the most watched Florida State Legislature races will see the first appearance of the two candidates running for Florida House of Representatives District 74, which will take place on 4/10/2024.
The two who will be appearing at a meeting of the America First Caucus of SW Florida that will feature the present Florida State Representative James Buchanan and his opponent Michelle Pozzi.
Buchanan, who is moderate Republican backed by the Republican establishment is running for reelection against a strong grassroots Republican Pozzi in the bastion of conservatism in Southwest Florida.
Grant
BUCHANAN SUPPORTED BY TALLAHASSE ESTABLISHMENT
At that annual picnic of the Republican Club of North Port (10/21/2023), the establishment Florida State Representative Michael Grant stated the following in support of Florida Representative James Buchanan in his primary race against fellow Republican Pozzie in District 74; "Speaker Renner and potential Speaker Perez would not sit idly by while one of their own was engaged in a primary."
Grant further stated, "that they never lost a representative to a primary and they weren't going to start now. Grant also told Pozzi, "she would be making enemies in Tallahassee if she proceeded to run against Buchanan and all of Tallahassee would fighting against her."
GRANT AND HIS FELLOWS IN TALLAHASSEE “WILL RUIN POZZIE POLITICAL CAREER”
Grant threatened Pozzi that she, “will ruin any political career that she could potentially have, which Pozzie replied ‘that is what makes me different, I am not interested in a career- I am interested in making a difference and representing we the people.”
BUCHANAN MOVED TO “SAFE SEAT” AFTER GOOD DEFEAT
Buchanan first ran for the Florida State House, as a Representative in District 72 against Margeret Good in 2018. Buchanan was soundly defeated by Good, whose victory was seen as a revival of the Democrat Party in Southwest Florida.
Good emerging as leading the revival of the Democrat Party was short lived after she edged out Ray Pilon in her reelection and then was destroyed when she ran against Vern Buchanan for the U.S Congress.
James Buchanan, who is the son of Vern Buchanan political career was revived when he was moved into a safe Republican House seat in 2018 after losing to Good.
Buchanan won an easy victory in 2020 and 2022, but the dynamics of the electorate has changed considerably since then with a strong America First conservative movement becoming a strong political force in the District and throughout Southwest Florida.
Brunni
Another dynamic that has emerged in the District is grassroots organizations headed by Connie Brunni, which was the moving force in Republican victories, not only in the District but beyond in Sarasota County in 2022.
Brunni and her ZEM organization was the moving force in destroying a strong Democratic field of Sarasota County School Board candidates. Their strong and active effords were instrumental in winning other Republican victories throughout Sarasota County in 2022.
Pozzi and her supporters
Pozzi was a strong and very active member of that grassroots organization and no doubt will be getting the backing of Brunni’s organization and other grassroots organization in the District and beyond statewide.
Brill
MAJOR SPLIT IN SARASOTA REPUBLICAN POLITICS
Other dynamics that have occurred in Sarasota Republican politics is that a major split in the local Republican Party has occurred, which has cast the establishment Republican Party headed by Sarasota County (REC) chairman Jack Brill opposed by the grassroots organization headed by Brunni.
The differences between the establishment Republican Party and the grassroot activists began during the 2022 election, but differences were put side after the elections. Those differences widen when a Brill led establishment campaign lost two Republican held seats in the 2023 Venice City election to two Democrats.
Brill's handpicked local REC Vice Chair and field orgaizer Alice Rothbauer on far right campaigning in Venice
The split widen when Brill's hanpicked choice of having a political novice Alice Rothbauer lead the Republican organization in Venice was a complete diaster. Rothbauer is a former Democrat from Wisconsin, who recently arrived in Sarasota.
The upcoming Sarasota County School Board races will clearly see the split between the local establishment headed by Brill, as grassroots activists will turn their heads on establishment candidates Karen Rose Miller and Gregory Wood running for the Sarasota School Board.
The days of the Republican establishment giving the grassroots activists candidates to work for despite their major differences has apparently ended for the local grassroots activists.
Brunni and her grassroots see not a nickel bit of difference between Rose Miller and Wood and their Democrat Party candidates. They see all four nothing more than members of the UNIPARTY that has corrupted Sarasota County Government.
LOCAL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS CENTERED AROUND TWO OGANIZATIONS
The Brunni strong and active grassroots organization is centered around the local Sarasota Republican Assembly Club with the America First Caucus of SW Florida another strong grassroots organizzaion in the area. Both will be endorsing candidates in major local elections in the 2024 elections cycle.
Those contests will certainly include the Pozzi/Buchanan race along with Tom Knight opposing Neal Ranford in County Commission District 3 race and Alexandra Coe vs. Teresa Mast in Sarasota County Commission District 1.
Barker and Rose Miller
Those two strong grassroots organizations will little doubt be supporting Thomas Babicz in the Sarasota School Board District 3 race against Edwards and Wood. In the Rose Miller vs Liz Barker, they will either stay at home or hold their noses and vote for Rose Miller.
Beruff and Neal
What is disturbing to Brunni’s and many other political observers is that Rainford, Mast and Buchanan’s campaigns are be managed by the “Pay to Play” developers Pat Neal and Carlos Beruff political operative Anthony Pedicini.
Manatee County Commissioner Neal and Beruff's shrills
Pedicini was the political operative of the present seven Manatee County ommissioners, who are nothing more than shrills for "Pay to Play" developers Beruff and Neal turning Manatee County into one huge parking lot, while making $millions for the Neal/Beruff gang.
Pedicini
Buchanan, Mast and Rainford have hired this Ybor City based political operative, who have seen Neal, Bruff and other “Pay to Play” developers stuffing $millions in Pedicini pockets to take out grassroots candidates running against UNIPARTY establishment Republican candidates.
That is Pedicini driving for Manatee County Commissionrer Kevin Van Ostenbridge with a flag rapped around this Beruf/Neal lavender group mouthpiece. By the way, the woman is a "mask" for this leader of the Republican Lavender Group.
Pedicini has with devious, dark, soft money from Beruff, Neal and other "Pay to Play" developers have stuffed seven Manatee Commissioner in Beruff's and Neal's pockets. Pedicini did this while DISGUSTINGLY wrapping a flag around the Commissioners, putting a MAGA hat on them and a Bible in their hands.
Knight
Pedicini has now behind an attack piece on former three term Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight in support of Rainford.
Jon Susce
The Sarasota Phoenix team is the last guardian in Sarasota of the vital fourth estate. While the rest of local, mainstream media outlets have been overtaken by profit driven directives, the Sarasota Phoenix is the only local media outlet laying bare for all to see how Sarasota local government is operating like a Latin American Junta.
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