While 2010 was a very strong year for Republicans in the state and across the nation, Democratic U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown routed her Republican challenger, businessman Mike Yost, taking 63 percent to his 34 percent. With it, she won a tenth term in Congress. Nevertheless, shehas already drawn three opponents --two Republicans and a Libertarian -- looking to knock her off in 2012.
Yost, who defeated two other Republicans in the primary to take on Brown last time, is hitting the ground running as he seeks a rematch in 2012.
Yost noted earlier in the week that he was optimistic about his chances, thinking that Browns recent fund-raising struggles could be used to his advantage.
She is over $45,000 in the hole (and is being sued over that, too!) to start off her 2012 race and we know a lot of changes will happen for 2012, claimed Yost.
While Brown opposed the constitutional amendments backed by FairDistricts Florida in 2010 -- scoring points with Republicans in the Legislature -- Yost insisted that redistricting will help a Republican candidate against Brown in 2012.
This district is not going to be the same as it was in 2010, insisted Yost.
The FairDistricts amendments mean that it [the district] can't favor one party over the other, or an incumbent over a challenger, maintained Yost, adding that the amendments also make districts compact which, he insisted, it was not now.
Yost thought that Florida gaining two congressional seats would also hurt Brown.
Historically, those are drawn in the regions where the most population growth occurred, mused Yost. Central Florida is most likely where one will go, and Corrine is going to lose most, if not all, of that part of her current boundaries. Expect this district to move farther north, not be sprawled from Jacksonville to Orlando, just to create a seat for Corrine to win in perpetuity.
There will be far more Republicans and conservatives in this new 3rd Congressional District, added Yost.
Yost certainly seems more willing to take off the gloves this time out. On Thursday, in an e-mail to supporters, Yost slammed Democratic activists for targeting
Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Alan West and U.S. Rep. Dan Webster at recent town hall events -- and insisted that Democrats and their allies were going to be busy in North Florida.
Already Organizing for America (OFA) -- Obama's grass-roots team, the DNC, and the usual radical union suspects -- SEIU, AFSCME, and others -- are setting up camp, pitching tents, and digging the latrines for the Jacksonville mayoral race, wrote Yost. They will not leave either after this election. Their attempt is to motivate, train, and recruit for 2012's presidential race. and win in Jacksonville!
Yost accused the Democrats, who he maintained must take Florida for 2012 in order to win the White House, of preparing to launch unethical tactics.
They would love to make sure that every Republican town hall meeting was disrupted, every election stolen, and every single unregistered voter is a Democrat, insisted Yost. They will go to any possible means to win this state.
I am prepared to draw the line in the sand and tell the people of this district the truth -- that we are not going to see a recovery under this administration's policies of shared poverty, continued Yost. And if they keep electing the same bunch in Washington election after election, they can expect more of the same from a corrupt Corrine Brown they have now.
Nor does Yost have a clear shot at the Republican nomination. Standing in Yosts path is political newcomer LeAnne Kolb who, with her husband, owns a small business in Orange Park.
Im disillusioned with what I see in Washington, Kolb, whose husband had been in the military, told Sunshine State News on Thursday.
Kolb called herself very, very pro-life and noted that she was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and opposed to all forms of gun control, including registration. Saying she would defend the ideals of the Founding Fathers, Kolb said there was little difference between her and Yost on the issues but kept her fire focused on Brown.
We line up pretty much the same on a lot of the issues, said Kolb of Yost.
My goal is to get Corrine Brown out of Congress, added Kolb, pointing to the Democrats almost two decades in office. Thats enough for anybody.
Kolb agreed with Yost that redistricting, which the Legislature is already starting to tackle, will help make the district more competitive.
The people who do the redistricting will do it fairly, Kolb said.
Besides the two Republicans, a third candidate looks likely to jump in against Brown --Hilliard architect Gerald Nyren who is looking to run as a Libertarian.
As Yost noted, Brown is certainly running on fumes for the moment, with more than $21,500 in debt and $8,500 on hand at the end of March. But none of the challengers has been able to make much headway on that front. Nyren and Kolb have not begun fund-raising efforts, while Yost had $6 on hand at the end of March and almost $1,200 of his own in debt.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
