Former Navy Capt. Ryman Shoaf went on the attack in the final days of his Republican primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., even as a former boss endorsed the incumbent congressman.
Crenshaw released a TV ad this week stressing his roots on the First Coast and playing up the fact that he heads home for the weekends.
The ad drew fire from the Shoaf campaign on Wednesday.
Ander Crenshaw says 'I come home every weekend' in his latest TV ad, the Shoaf team noted. Congress is only in session 113 days in 2014. Where is Congressman Crenshaw the remaining 252 days of the year? Still in Washington, D.C. We need a representative who represents Northeast Florida and comes back to the district more than the weekends.
The Shoaf campaign also attempted to contrast their candidates 27 years in the Navy to Crenshaws four decades in politics. After the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce endorsed Crenshaw this week, the Shoaf team noted it was part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and hit that group on immigration.
But Crenshaw got a boost of his own Thursday when two conservatives from neighboring districts -- U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla. -- endorsed him. Shoaf had briefly served on Yohos congressional staff in Clay County.
Ive spent the past 15 months investigating the IRS, and Americans have demanded that Congress do something to hold the IRS accountable for its misconduct, DeSantis said. Ander Crenshaw has answered the peoples call. Using his subcommittee chairmanship on the Appropriations Committee, Ander authored a bill to rein in the IRS, protect taxpayers and safeguard the Constitution. This is a critical bill that attracted widespread conservative support. I am proud of every day I serve with and stand with Ander Crenshaw
Yoho stressed that Crenshaw was a fellow conservative.
Ander Crenshaw is a conservative with a capital C, Yoho said. Even more, hes a proven conservative who gets results for his Northeast Florida neighbors. He doesnt chase headlines he simply does the job hes been elected to do. No one works harder, and no ones done more, to advance our responsible agenda for America. Anders one of us he fights for us!
"I'm proud to stand together with Congressmen DeSantis and Yoho in a continued mission to protect the conservative values that individuals, families, and businesses hold dear, Crenshaw said. Across the board, Northeast Florida is well-served by both of them, and I look forward to working with them in the years ahead."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
