A dear friend recently wrote to ask me about some things she had heard about Dr. Dave Weldon, candidate for US Senate representing Florida. As you know if you’ve been reading this site and/or listening to my radio show, Weldon is challenging Connie Mack IV, an establishment Republican who’s riding on his father’s name recognition and whose electoral record is lackluster at best. You also know I have given Weldon my endorsement. Here’s why.
So, my friend has heard some things about Dr. Weldon and she wants answers. She lives in south Florida and is leaning toward supporting another US Senate candidate from that area. Her candidate is one I’d not heard of until my friend brought it to my attention.
My friend is hearing that Weldon is a RINO / GOP establishment career politician who was put in this race by the GOP as a “reasonable” alternative to the south Florida candidate. “Reasonable” meaning that he’s “willing to compromise with the Socialists in Washington DC”.
The Truth: No one “put” Weldon in the race. If anything, the party would probably rather Weldon not be in the race as he is the only threat to Mack. As far as Weldon being a “spoiler” for my friend’s candidate (who registers low-single digits in the polls), she is barely a blip on anyone’s radar, least of all at the RPOF (“Party”).
“But, but…” my friend continues, “Dave Weldon did not keep his promise to his constituents when he he said he would only serve four terms as a congressman. He overstayed his welcome and served SEVEN terms. The only reason he went back home is because many people in his district were furious that he was still in Washington DC– and the press was tearing him apart.”
The Truth: Weldon had tried to retire earlier but an organized uprising of his constituency petitioned him to stay. Eventually the pull of his practice (his patients) and his dislike of DC caused him to resign.
“The press was tearing him apart.”
Of course the establishment media has been critical of Weldon. Florida TODAY, a Gannett owned paper, and the Orlando Sentinel are notoriously left wing. They never missed an opportunity to slam Weldon into the wall for his principled stands, Conservative principles that are anathema to liberal newsrooms across the country.
Is that suddenly a crime to TEA Party adherents? Actually, I believe they understand that anyone in politics who stands up for the unborn and for Biblical principles will not be considered a media darling. To suggest Weldon was driven from office by the media is not worthy of comment.
“But, but… Dave Weldon voted for TARP! And says Paul Ryan made him do it!!! He actually said this on camera! TARP is another reason why ‘We Borrow Money from China!’ “
OK, here’s the deal…. As for Weldon’s one decision to support TARP, it is what it is. Weldon has been honest about it. Would you rather he lie or cover up as many in Congress would and have? Is that the only thing worth criticizing in 14 years in office and thousands of votes? I would say that’s one heck of a record right there.
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POLL SHOWS WELDON GAINING ON MACK IV
Orlando, FL – Senate Republican Primary candidate, Dr Dave Weldon was shown in a recent scientific poll as scoring in the double digits against self-appointed “winner” of the August 14 primary, Connie Mack, IV. “That’s an amazing endorsement of my team’s ability to get the word out,” said Weldon, “If we keep this up, we’re going to lead an upset that will surprise a lot of the Party’s Country Club leadership.”
When the independent Polling firm Megellan Strategies asked 650 “most likely” Republican Primary voters, “If the Republican primary election for the United States Senate were being held today, for whom would you vote if the candidates were Connie Mack and Dave Weldon?” Weldon drew a remarkable seventeen percent of the vote. Weldon is the first Primary candidate to poll double digits in this Primary against Mack IV. Even former Senator George LeMieux, who campaigned for the post for over a year, never got out of single digits.
The poll has a plus or minus 3.84% margin of error with a 95% confidence rate.
Some commentators are suggesting Mack IV is not doing the job he was elected to do in the U.S. House today and that is turning voters against him. He has missed nearly half of the votes. Even the liberal Tampa Bay Times said Connie Mack IV had ” . . . an undistinguished record in Congress.”
“Much of Mack’s name recognition comes from his father. . .” according to Brighthouse Network’s Channel 13 news account of July 13. “Mack has also done very little campaigning around the state and has bought very little ad time on television.”
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