Florida Libertarians are making history this year with the first-ever contested primary in a so-called "minor" party.
But the race between Franklin Perez and Ellen Paul in state House District 33 is hardly one for the civics textbooks. It illustrates how a small party can be manipulated and splintered by personal grudges.
Perez, in his third try for the Central Florida seat, says Paul is a "puppet, and the Seminole County Libertarian Party is pulling the strings."
Paul, a first-time candidate, entered the race shortly after she joined the Libertarian Party last February. Perez alleges that the county party pushed Paul into the race in a bid to thwart his candidacy and wreak revenge for run-ins he's had with local leaders.
Perez has been a card-carrying Libertarian since 1998. But his clashes with local party members led him to run as a "No Party Affiliation" candidate in 2006 and 2008.
Since state law no longer requires "third party" candidates to get the approval of party leaders or a party convention, the House District 33 race opened up this year. (The seat is being vacated by Republican Sandy Adams, who is running for Congress.)
Ironically, neither Libertarian candidate seems to be toeing the party line.
In her appearances, Paul sticks with economic issues while soft-pedaling or ignoring other Libertarian positions, such as decriminalizing drugs and writing off what the party terms "victimless crimes."
Perez takes a more orthodox tack, but makes no secret of his disdain for certain party officials.
"I have an arms-length relationship with the party," he says.
John Wayne Smith, the party's gubernatorial candidate, says Paul "was recruited to run against Franklin. There's been a war in the Seminole party since 2002. It's been nasty, and the local party has been baiting him."
As for Paul, Smith says, "She does not understand Libertarian principles."
All this infighting will be decided by some 280 registered Libertarians who live in the district that spans parts of Seminole, Volusia and Orange counties.
Given the usual low turnouts in primaries during non-presidential years, fewer than 100 voters could determine the outcome -- meaning the winner, barring a last-minute spurt in new Libertarian registrations, might only need to garner 50 votes to advance to the Nov. 2 ballot.
Paul's primary challenge angers Perez, who claims she lives outside the 33rd district. He alleges that Paul resides in neighboring conservative District 37, where Republican Scott Plakon was assured re-election when no one filed against him last month.
(According to state law, legislative candidates only need to reside in their district at the time they are sworn into office.)
Paul admits that her home is outside the district, but blamed a bad housing market for not moving and discounted "jerrymandered" lines as arbitrary. She said a competitive race is a "positive development" for the Libertarian Party.
"I'm trying to make a good quality label for the party and let people know that we're not all about sex and drugs. We're trying to bring this country back more in line with the founding fathers. Thomas Jefferson was a Libertarian," Paul said.
Decrying "the fanatical fringe of the party," Paul added, "We'll win more people over if we focus on the issues that really matter -- starting with smaller government."
State Libertarian Party chairman J.J. McCurry tries to put the best face on the bitter intramural contest.
"These are the growing pains of the maturation process. If we dream of competing with the big boys, we have to play by the big boy rules," he said, alluding to the primary nomination process used by the Republican and Democratic parties.
While terming Paul a "borderline Libertarian," McCurry added, "If Franklin can't appeal to his own base, then how can he appeal to the larger base as well?
"All of our candidates need Dale Carnegie. Step One for them is to be likable," McCurry said.
Though it claims 18,000 members, the Libertarian Party of Florida is fielding just four candidates in this year's state elections. In addition to Smith, Perez and Paul, Alex Snitker is running for U.S. Senate. Like Paul, Snitker is a recent convert to the party, joining last August.
McCurry said 18 Libertarians ran for office in 2008 -- most of them in local, non-partisan races.
Ramping up its recruitment efforts, the state party has agreed to pay roughly a third of each candidate's filing fees. McCurry said Perez and Paul would receive the same remuneration.
"It's great that we're having a primary," McCurry said. "Some people may like the way it used to be, with candidates selected at a convention, but that's a closed process controlled by a few.
"Not everyone has to toe the party line on every issue."
Spoken like a true Libertarian who's given up on trying to herd cats.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
