Mary Thomas' Team Takes Aim at Neal Dunn in CD2

The team behind Tallahassee attorney Mary Thomas, running for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., came out swinging at primary rival Dr. Neal Dunn on Friday.

Dunn unveiled the support of former Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford earlier this week. In recent weeks, former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense and former Florida Senate President Don Gaetz backed Dunn. 

On Friday, Lauren Henderson, Thomas’ political director, noted Dunn has backed some Democrats including U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., in the 2012 Senate race and supported then Gov. Charlie Crist’s Senate bid in 2010. 

Dunn sent Crist $1,000 when the then-governor was running for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination against Rubio in the 2010 election cycle. But that donation came in September 2009, months before Crist abandoned the GOP to continue his Senate bid with no party affiliation. Dunn did contribute to Nelson against Mack in 2012 and then-U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla., in 2005 and 2006.  

"As a lobbyist and political insider, it's no surprise that Neal Dunn has rolled out endorsements from politicians and fellow lobbyists,” Henderson said on Friday. “Conservatives should review the endorsements that Neal Dunn himself has made over the years.  Neal Dunn supported liberal Charlie Crist over conservative Marco Rubio. Neal Dunn supported liberal Bill Nelson over conservative Connie Mack. Neal Dunn supported liberal Allen Boyd for many years. Neal Dunn was a lobbyist for the Florida Medical Association (FMA) where Neal Dunn pushed for the expansion of Medicaid as part of Obamacare. Neal Dunn was chair of the FMA's council on legislation when the FMA -- including Neal Dunn -- endorsed Medicaid expansion as part of Obamacare. Neal Dunn has a history of endorsing liberal politicians and liberal causes."

Dunn’s team struck back on Friday. Sarah Bascom, a spokeswoman for Dunn’s campaign, said on Friday that Dunn was a solid conservative and Republican despite the accusations of the Thomas camp. 

"The constant mudslinging coming out of the Mary Thomas campaign against a fellow Republican is disappointing, much of it misleading and without a factual base,” Bascom said.

“Dr. Dunn is a lifelong conservative Republican who has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Republicans and the Republican Party, and over the last 20 years, personally contributed more than $60,000 to Republicans, including conservatives like Allan West, Adam Putnam and Steve Southerland.  To single out a few other contributions in an effort to paint him as less than a true Republican is disingenuous."