FLYNN WITH NO MEDIA ATTTENTION AND PUBLIC NOTICE OUTDRAWS THE GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA
FLYNN DRAWS 700 IN BRADENTON/DeSANTIIS DRAWS 500 IN SARASOTA
Two political events took place two days ago on the same day (2/28/2022) in the bastion of Republican Conservatism that needs to be mentioned and is significant to the 2024 election cycle.
What is significant is that Florida Govrrnor Ron DeSantis, in the bastion of Republican Conservatism was out drawn by retired General Michael Flynn. The DeSantis event was heavily advertised in local, state and national media, while little attention was given to the Flynn event other than a few blasts on social media.
One took place in Manatee County at the Mixon Fruit Farm venue that headlined Flynn. The Flynn event drew over 700 people. The other event took place in Venice at a venue, which headlined Florda Governor Ron DeSantis. The DeSantis event drew over 500 people.
Walker
The estimated number of over 2,000 attending the DeSantis event put out by Sarasota Herald Tribune reporter Steven Walker was highly exaggerated. The recently University of Florida journalism graduate either has a serious problem in estimating crowd numbers or he accepted the figures put out by Governor DeSantis’s staff and local Republican officials.
Brill
The DeSantis event was put together by Governor DeSantis’s political organization in coordination with the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) led by Christian Ziegler and the Sarasota Republican Executive Committee (SREC) led by Jack Brill.
The DeSantis event was held at the PGT factory in North Venice, which is located in an area that can draw vast numbers of Republican Conservatives a short distance from the facility. The President and CEO of PGT is Jeff Jackson. Jackson is a major financial contributor to DeSantis, who was recently appointed to the Sarasota/Manatee Airport Authority.
There was local, state and national media mention of the DeSantis event, being that it was billed as DeSantis vision for the country as presented in his new book, Courage to be Free.
As usual in putting together these DeSantis political events, his staff in coordination with local Republican officials need to know how many will be attending his events so not to be embarrassed having DeSantis appearing in a half empty venue.
Local SREC officials put out numerous announcements of the DeSantis event weeks in advance of his appearance. Over 2,000 said they would attend, but little over 500 showed up. Once again, DeSantis has probably filling venues like Trump can.
Trump in Sarasota before over 30,000
Little over year ago former President Donald Trump addressed a crowd for an event in Sarasota that over 30,000 attended. An event that was proceeded by thunderstorm. Last August, the DeSantis and SREC staff put DeSantis in a venue that drew a little over 500. The venue was less than a half mile from the venue that over 30,000 attended the Trump event.
The Flynn event was put together by Jack May, who is the president of a Republican Conservative organization called Manatee Patriots. The event had little advance notice other than some social media announcement. There was no mentioned in the local media of the upcoming Flynn event, but yet Flynn outdrew Governor DeSantis.
What was spoken at the two events was not of major significance. DeSantis spoke for more than an hour to his response to COVID-19 and the underlying political mindset laid out in his book. DeSantis said his increase in his margin of victory in being re-elected Governor of Floria was that he is in tune with the people of Florida. DeSantis took no questions from the crowd.
Flynn spoke for about a 40 minutes concerning his military career, which included a key role in shaping U.S. counterterrorism strategy and dismantling insurgent networks in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. Flynn spoke about his numerous combat arms, conventional, and special operations senior intelligence assignments. Flynn also spoke on the war in the Ukraine and a little on his world view of the political climate. Flynn took questions from the crowd.
Brunni
Essentially, DeSantis and his political staff are relying locally on support of the SREC establishment led by Jack Brill, who essentially put together the DeSantis event. That SREC leadership of Brill had been challenged by a strong grassroots organization led by Connie Brunni, who become within a few votes of taking out the Brill's regime in December.
Oates
Brunni and her grassroots organization in Sarasota County are part of an American First political organization led by Flynn and Alfie Oats. The America First organization has taken recent control of the Chalotte, Lee and Collier County REC's.
Brunni's grassroots conservative organization led to the takeover of the Sarasota County Sarasota County School Board by conservative Republicans. School Board member, Bridget Ziegler, who is one of the founder of Moms for Liberty was re-elected to her third term on the local School Board.
Ziegler
BRIDGET ZIEGLER WAS AT THE DeSANTIS EVENT AND NOT THE FLYNN EVENT.
BRUNNI WAS AT THE FLYNN EVENT AND NOT THE DeSANTIS EVENT.
The turnout for Flynn in this stronghold of Conservative Republicans should be a wakeup call for DeSantis in that Flynn's will be a major player in the upcoming Florida primary, if DeSantis decides to take on Trump for the Presidency in 2024.
Jon Susce
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