Facebook said this week it mistakenly banned an ad by Republican Matt Caldwell, but not before the candidate for Florida agriculture commissioner was able to score plenty of statewide free media on the issue.
Caldwell, a state House member from North Fort Myers, couldn’t have asked for better pre-primary publicity than for Facebook --- under fire from conservatives for its perceived liberal advertising rules --- to reject a 15-second ad in which an armed Caldwell brags of his National Rifle Association endorsement.
Caldwell is running in the Aug. 28 GOP primary against Sen. Denise Grimsley of Sebring, former Rep. Baxter Troutman of Winter Haven and Plant City businessman Mike McCalister, as they seek to replace outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.
According to Caldwell’s campaign, the ad was banned under a Facebook guideline that ads can’t promote the sale of guns or ammunition.
“I’m Matt Caldwell. I like guns. I love the Second Amendment. And I support our president,” Caldwell says in the video ad while seated on the edge of a pickup truck tailgate. “That’s why I’m endorsed by the NRA.”
“I’m Matt Caldwell,” Caldwell continues before locking a gun used for skeet shooting. “And that’s all there is too it.”
After Facebook looked into the ad, spokesman Devon Kearns said Tuesday it was “rejected in error.”
“We review millions of ads each week, and sometimes we make mistakes,” Kearns said. “We have overturned the incorrect decision and the ads are now running live on Facebook.”
Before Facebook’s admission, Caldwell sent out a news release proclaiming, “Facebook’s liberal agenda is keeping our campaign for commissioner of agriculture from sharing our message.”
“The U.S. Constitution could not be clearer: our Second Amendment rights are inalienable,” Caldwell said in the release. “These God-given rights were enshrined in the Constitution by our Founding Fathers and Facebook’s censorship regime cannot get away with waging a war against conservative ideals and our pro-liberty message. Washington, Jefferson, and Madison are the names on the U.S. Constitution, not Zuckerberg.”
A number of media outlets, from the Tampa Bay Times to the online Sunshine State News, blogged Caldwell’s initial claim, with a link to the ad, before Facebook announced its mistake.
DEMS FUNDRAISING ON TRUMP’S RALLY
Florida Democrats wasted little time in trying to cash in on President Donald Trump’s plan to stump next week in Tampa.
“He’s flying in to pick his puppet for Florida governor,” the Florida Democratic Party said in a fundraising email Monday, shortly after Trump’s campaign announced the Tampa trip.
The email later stated: “We need to fill our Rapid Response Fund with $25,000 in the next 24 hours.”
Trump will be in Tampa on Tuesday to reaffirm support for gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, as well as Gov. Rick Scott’s run for U.S. Senate and Congressman Matt Gaetz’ re-election effort.
Trump’s campaign announced that the president will be at the Florida State Fairgrounds, where he is “expected to address the latest record-breaking jobs and economic data from the booming Trump economy, his nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, and the importance for Floridians to get out and vote this fall for key races to support his agenda; including to support Rick Scott who is running to defeat Ben Nelson in the U.S. Senate, Matt Gaetz for re-election to the U.S. House, and Ron DeSantis for Governor.”
One problem: Ben Nelson is a former Nebraska governor who served in the U.S. Senate from 2001 to 2013.
Scott is challenging Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
Scott, a booster of Trump during the 2016 campaign, won’t be at the rally. His campaign said he has a fundraiser that night. But Scott will saddle up with Trump at an education event earlier in the day in Tampa.
Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, is expected to also be in the state Aug. 2 to pitch for Gaetz and DeSantis during an event at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. That is in the heart of Gaetz’s Panhandle district.
Besides the fundraising request, Florida Democratic Party spokesman Kevin Donohoe reacted to the news of the president’s visit with a tongue-in-cheek email: "Our condolences to Adam Putnam."
Trump is backing DeSantis over Putnam in the Republican primary for governor.
GREENE MONEY
Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene, one of the five Democrats running for governor, flew through Tallahassee this week, making numerous stops to garner media good will.
While talking up issues such as his education credentials --- he founded The Greene School for “for bright, curious and joyful learners” in Palm Beach County --- gun legislation, the environment and differences between himself and the rest of the Democratic field, he also talked money.
Specifically, $10.6 million he’d already put up for the contest, with a vow that more is to come.
“As of now, I know that I’ve probably spent a little more than (former Congresswoman) Gwen Graham, less than (former Miami Beach mayor) Philip Levine,” Greene said. “There are only five weeks left, I don’t have any idea what it will take.”
If he advances to the general election, could he reach the $76 million that Scott spent of his own cash in 2010?
“Hopefully not. I don’t want to throw money away,” Greene said. “But we’ll spend whatever is needed to get our message out in the primary and definitely in the general election. I’ll do absolutely whatever is needed, because I’m absolutely certain that with Donald Trump and Rick Scott running, there is going to be a lot of money on that side. And I’m prepared to do what it takes. I’m not doing this to go halfway. I’m not running the marathon so I can come in 10th place.”
TWEET OF THE WEEK: “My thoughts and prayers are with @scottplakon and his family during this difficult time. Susie was a wonderful woman and she will be greatly missed.” --- Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) on the death of Susie Rushing Plakon, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and was the wife of Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood.
