Florida Tea Party Challenges Dems, GOP on Government, Taxes

New third party plans on 12-20 candidates for the Legislature and 3 for U.S. House

By: Kevin Derby | Posted: June 7, 2010 12:31 AM

Around the State

A new third party with a familiar name calling for scaling back the size and cost of government has emerged in Florida hoping to take advantage of voter discontent. The Florida Tea Party is fielding three congressional candidates across Florida in the 2010 election cycle and hopes to have as many as 20 candidates running for seats in the Legislature.

Frederic O’Neal, an attorney based in Orlando who was active with Ax the Tax, an anti-tax organization in Central Florida, serves as the chairman of the fledgling third party and said Friday that the state needs a fiscally conservative party.

“At the state level, it’s hard to call the Democrats the ‘tax and spend’ party since the Republicans have been worse,” said O’Neal.

O’Neal said that he had been in discussions with anti-tax activists as early as 2006 and thought about launching a T.E.A. (“taxed enough already”) Party at that time. He said with the emergence of the national tea party phenomenon, the time was ripe to try again.

O’Neal said the Florida Tea Party was different than the myriad of third parties pushing for smaller government and lower taxes.

“We’re focused on just the size and scope of government and taxes,” said O’Neal. “We’re not a conservative party in the sense of social issues.” He added that this makes the Florida Tea Party different than the religious conservative Constitution Party or America’s Independent Party, which was founded by Dr. Alan Keyes.

O’Neal pointed to his party’s principles and said that Florida Tea Party candidates could develop their own positions on social issues and foreign policy as long as they backed the party’s stance on smaller government and lower taxes.

The Florida Tea Party is already running three congressional candidates. Polk County Commissioner Randy Wilkinson is running for the seat that U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam is vacating to run for state agriculture and consumer services commissioner. Peg Dunmire, an IT consultant from Orlando, is running against U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson. Roly Arrojo, a businessman, is running for the seat that U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart is vacating to run for a neighboring congressional seat. Ron Taylor is running on the Tea Party line for Broward County Commission.

O’Neal said that the Florida Tea Party was vetting 40 people who were considering running for the Legislature and that he expected between 12 and 20 candidates running for the Senate or the House.

While third party candidates have not generally done well in Florida’s political history -- with the exception of Sidney Catts being elected governor in 1916 on the Prohibition Party line -- this year has seen prominent politicians, including Gov. Charlie Crist and Bud Chiles, run as independents against the Republicans and Democrats.

Despite this history, O’Neal was confident the party would have an impact. “Right now the mood of the electorate is to throw the bums out and go for the alternative,” he said.

Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859

Tags: Adam Putnam, Alan Grayson, Alan Keyes, Bud Chiles, Charlie Crist, Florida Tea Party, Frederic O'Neal, Mario Diaz-Balart, News, Peg Dunmire, Randy Wilkinson, Roly Arrojo, Ron Taylor

Comments (10)

aguilar panu

12:58AM OCT 19TH 2011

Peg Dunmire, an IT consultant from Orlando, is running against U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson. Roly Arrojo, a businessman, is running for the seat that U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart is vacating to run for a neighboring congressional seat. Ron Taylor is running on the Tea Party line for Broward County Commission. Kleeneze

Beth407

5:59AM JUN 10TH 2010

I really believe this is a shame, in a time when we have so many true patriots standing up to the establishment and running for office to change what is going on in Washington we have such a group emerging, trying to pull the rug out from underneath them. It isn't going to happen though. It is funny how a lawyer and one not even a part of the Tea Party movement starts this new party, and the other two that are promoting the party were kicked out of OCREC, this should tell you somthing funny is going on. As mentioned in the article, "O’Neal was confident the party would have an impact" in my opinion is trying to split the vote to help Grayson stay in office. People that are involved in the Tea Party Movement are well aware that the two have NOTHING to do with each other. We will continue to spread he word of the differences. When looking for a true candidate from the Tea Party Movement, look to Patricia Sullivan. She is co-founder of the NLTP and very much apart of what the movement is about. No more career politicians, lawyers or millionaires. She is the one that will represent the people. In my opinion, if Peg Dunmire truly wanted Grayson out she would bow out and help take Grayson out instead of giving him a leg up. I believe she has been deceived by these men in charge of the Tea Party Political Party. Patricia Sullivan a True Grassroots Conservative Republican, "Patriot Not Politician", one that can restore the Republican party by being the people's voice, not the politicians voice.

James K

7:01PM JUN 7TH 2010

The political tea party will not garner much support from the Tea Party Movement. Voters are smart enough to know that a “split” vote will not further the objective which is to Fire the Progressives and RINO. The conservative Republican candidate that far exceeds all other candidates is Patricia Sullivan. A conservative non-politician who is just like us.

PatriotDee

11:39AM JUN 7TH 2010

Informed voters know that 3rd party candidates rarely win elections - they merely split the vote among conservatives and insure the election of the opposition. Let's don't let that happen in this race. Vote for conservative Republican Patricia Sullivan in the August primary and again in the November general election. She shares the conservative values of the electorate and will insure that our voices are heard in Washington. She will represent the voters of the 8th district with dignity (sorely lacking in the incumbent) and integerity (ditto) while working for a fiscally responsible, constitutionally limited government of the people, by the people and for the people. Don't make the mistake of thinking the "Tea Party" candidate will do that for us.

Eustisvoter

10:04AM JUN 7TH 2010

Doesn't it seem strange that you have not met, or heard speak, any TEA Party political candidates at the grassroots TEA party gatherings? I have been to several TEA party rallies and never once seen or heard Peg Dunmire speak here in the 8th Congressional District of FL. The only person who is truly representing the TEA party movement in my district is Patricia Sullivan who co-founded the North Lake Tea Party. She is running as a Republican candidate. Don't let the Democrats fool you into voting for Peg Dunmire, she's a wolf in sheep clothing assisting Alan Grayson to keep his seat. Let's not let that happen. Vote this November for Patricia Sullivan, Patriot, not Politician.

Patriot Come Lately

9:52AM JUN 7TH 2010

Is it not interesting that this supposedly Tea Party Party is suing anyone who uses the Tea Party mo[filtered word]r. If they were really part of the movement then they would be sharing with the rest of the movement. Instead they have shown their true colors, of being a group set-up to siphon off votes from uninformed voters who see "Tea Party" and think that it is something for which they should vote.
Just look into the backgrounds of the leaders of this faux Tea Party Party. I feel sorry for Peg Dunmire and the other candidates who are being taken in by this group.
This group does NOT represent the TRUE Tea Party movement and I hope and pray that they will go back under their rock after November 2010.

Bob James

9:48AM JUN 7TH 2010

If you want to find out what the North Lake Teaparty is all about, come to Ferran Park in Eustis this coming Saturday, June 12 at 11:00 AM. You will have an opportunity to meet and hear one of the patriots, Republican candidate for Congress, Patricia Sullivan, who co-founded the North Lake Teaparty movement. Patricia Sullivan is a conservative Republican and is not affiliated in any way, shape or form with the renegade Florida Tea Party.

Richard Riker

8:53AM JUN 7TH 2010

The Florida Tea Party is not "the TEA PARTY" they are a group of fringe politicians who hijacked the Tea Party name for their own self interest. They are made up of tax cheats, men suspended from GOP positions and people with murky reputations. This is definitely not a reputable group of people and their dishonorable character rubs off on their candidates. The only reason Peg Dunmire changed parties is because she couldn't compete with the other Republican candidates. I've heard her speak and find some of the facts she states are, to say the least, questionable and her answers to questions typical politic talk. The candidate in this race who is one of us, the people, is conservative Republican Patricia Sullivan. She is an inspirational person who motivates her volunteers to be the very best they can be while working to secure the liberties we have in this country. She is the person who should be representing us in Washington and will be come this November.

TerriD

8:41AM JUN 7TH 2010

I’m not sure you can make a “party” be fiscally responsible. However, you can elect fiscally responsible “people” to fill the offices of government. I agree that some of the Democratic and Republican “people” we have elected have failed to live up to many of their campaign promises. Why? Because many of them are not listening to the voters, but rather are busy building their own power bases and fattening their wallets for the next rung of their career climb in government.

My reaction to the forming of this party is, why split the voters. Why not infuse the Republican and Democratic parties with people who truly want to serve their country, and make it a better place for all citizens. Splintering off to another party, in my opinion, is saying the problems with our current political parties can not be fixed. That is not true.

This election year we can’t let the politicians and political machines tell us who to vote for. Both major parties stopped listening to the “man on the street” years ago. Now we must put those “men and women on the street” into office to clean up this mess. Let’s do it for our children and grandchildren, so they can continue to live in a free country.

“There is nothing more dangerous to a Politician than an informed voter” Motto of the North Lake Tea Party.

8:50AM JUN 7TH 2010

The Tea Party third party does not represent the Tea Party Movement. The movement does not endorse the people running in that party. I believe we do not need a third party and a third party will split the vote and we'll be right where we are today. We must elect individuals with some fiscal responsibility and an appreciation for the Constitution as it is written. Patricia Sullivan is one of those people and will represent the people of the 8th District. Find out more about her at www.patriciasullivanforcongress.com