Political aide and Navy veteran Brandon Patty launched a bid to replace U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., who is currently running for the U.S. Senate.
On Wednesday, Patty announced he was running for the Republican nomination.
“Over the past several months, I’ve had the privilege of talking with voters, families, veterans and business owners of the Sixth Congressional district,” Patty said. “Their concerns about our country’s direction -- our security, our economy, our future – are spot on.
“The source of much of their frustration, and yes, anger, is the ineffectiveness and incompetence in Washington,” Patty continued. “Congress has not been functioning, the president pursues ideological goals at the expense of our prosperity and security while our nation’s enemies are on the march. Leadership, vision, and common sense are in short supply at a dangerous time when they are desperately needed.
“We need representatives in Congress who posses these values and who know that decline is not our destiny,” Patty added. “We need conservative leaders who will do the hard work necessary to make sure our vision and ideas actually become the law of the land. It’s not enough to believe the right things or say the right things, we must deliver results for the people we represent.
“That’s why I am running for Congress,” Patty said. “I am very grateful for the opportunities our country has afforded me. From being the first in my family to graduate from college to deploying overseas with our nation’s best, I understand what it takes to defend our way of life and will work hard every day to bring government and Washington back under control. I know that to change Washington before it changes America, we need new leaders willing to take on big problems and the entrenched special interests, not the same people doing the same things as they try and climb the political ladder.
“Together, we can restore our military, defeat radical Islamic extremists, defend our rights and values, rein in the executive branch and revive economic growth and prosperity for everyone. I am running for Congress to help lead this fight and ensure our future is just as bright as it has ever been,” Patty said in conclusion.
Patty does have some political experience, having been an aide working in Northeast Florida to then Gov. Jeb Bush and helping Marco Rubio’s U.S. Senate bid back in 2010. He currently serves in the Naval Reserves.
While former U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams, R-Fla., had been running for this seat, she suspended her campaign due to health reasons. Besides Patty, other Republican candidates include attorney Malcom Anthony, former New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer and businessman G.G. Galloway. State Rep. Dwayne Taylor, D-Daytona Beach, businessman Bill McCullough and attorney George Pappas are running on the Democratic side. Richard Paul Dembinksy is running with no party affiliation.
Barringer tried to nail down his Volusia County base this week as Orange City Mayor Tom Laputka, Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk and DeLand Mayor Robert Apgar backed his bid for the Republican nomination.
"As mayors our number one priority is to balance a city budget,” Barringer said. “We balance a city budget often times battling lawmakers in Tallahassee and DC against unfunded mandates. We balance our city budgets without the luxury of having a 'printing press' at city hall. The same 'printing press' that’s put our county $19 trillion in debt. We balance our budget by making tough decisions every day. Those are the same tough decisions I’m going to make when I am going to make as your congressman when I go to Washington D.C."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
