Republican Party of Florida Chairman Dave Bitner reportedly will step down at the Presidency 5 summit in September.
Bitner, who was elected to lead the RPOF earlier this year, was subsequently diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.
The political website Shark Tank reported that Bitner would resign on Sept. 23, midway through the P5 summit in Orlando. He reportedly will recommend Lenny Curry as his successor.
Bitner was scheduled to speak to party officials on a 2 p.m. conference call Wednesday. RPOF spokesman Brian Hughes declined to comment on the situation.
Earlier, Hughes issued a statement disputing the reports of Bitner's impending resignation:
"David Bitner is the chairman of the RPOF, and he is working every day to advance the mission of our party. He has courageously and publicly discussed his ALS diagnosis, and yet he works every day to make Florida better.
"These new reports about his future as the RPOFs chairman are premature, factually inaccurate, and reek of the worst kind of political opportunism. People should spend less time gossiping about Chairman Bitner and more time admiring a man who displays principled leadership every single day."
Joe Gruters, chairman of the Sarasota County Republican Party, characterized the Shark Tank report as "a false rumor" and Palm Beach County GOP Chairman Sid Dinerstein called the report "untrue and unkind." Both men competed against Bitner for the party chairmanship last winter.
But the story appeared to change by midday when a copy of a letter, reportedly written by Bitner, leaked out.
The letter, addressed to "fellow Republicans" and posted by the St. Petersburg Times, stated in part:
"Today, amid speculation about my current capacity to serve as your chairman, I wanted to update you. Whether out of malice or in the interest of political posturing, some who had been entrusted with my thoughts about the future shared that information with the media. Something I would never allow to happen on my watch is for the future of the RPOF to be called into question. So, today, after talking with my wife, my friends, and trusted advisers, I have decided to resign my position as chairman effective Friday, Sept. 23."
Doug Guetzloe, a longtime Republican consultant and a former consultant to the Florida TEA Party, told Sunshine State News earlier Wednesday, "The rumors of Chairman Bitner's early retirement by certain political consultants and would-be pundits is an unfortunate reality of those that seek to destroy and not build the party.
"Chairman Bitner has provided a steady and even leadership to the party even though he faces a life-threatening illness.
"As long as Bitner believes he can continue to provide that leadership, attempts to force a resignation are disgusting."
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
