Former Broward GOP Chief Blasted As “Liberal”
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Being from Broward County is no political resume builder in any other part of Florida.
Richard DeNapoli, the county’s former GOP chief, is quickly finding that out.
DeNapoli, enbroiled in a primary fight for state House in Sarasota after leaving Broward, is being branded as having a “liberal Broward County record” in ads.
My memory is that DeNapoli is far from liberal. But this is the Florida GOP, where if Ronald Reagan was running today he would be called liberal.
DeNapoli is battling Dr. Julio Gonzalez for the House District 74 seat. There is no Democratic candidate and two write-ins, so the winner of the Republican primary is the next House member from this Sarasota-based district.
The ad is actually pretty funny.
Check it out.
August 5th, 2014 at 3:02 pm
I am a member of BREC who was disappointed to see Richard go. Disappointed for BREC but thrilled for the DeNapoli family. BREC is a black hole of disfunction. He worked tirelessly for years to lead the BREC in the “right” direction but the hatefulness of the local bigots/tea party have destroyed that group for years to come.
Best of luck Richard!
August 6th, 2014 at 8:08 am
It is fair to say that if Ronald Reagan was alive today, the GOP would consider him a liberal. That is how far to the right today’s GOP has wandered.
Richard Nixon would be called a socialist for creating the EEOC, proposing the EPA, opening the door to China and supporting rent freezes to contain inflation.
George H. W. Bush would be called a “tax and spend” liberal for putting nation over self and raising taxes despite his previously stated opposition to any tax increase. In fact it’s hard to think of any past Republican luminary who would not be considered a RINO by today’s ultra-right GOP.
The party has fallen captive to ultra-conservative extremists, who always existed but were kept in check by a more rationally thinking majority. The result is clear, they will advocate a platform that may garner support in gerrymandered local districts but can’t succeed at the national level where the vast majority of Americans remain pretty much in the center.
August 6th, 2014 at 6:08 pm
It is nonsense to think Ronald Reagan would be called liberal today. Some of the things he did might be considered left of center only because he was surrounded with an entirely Democratic congress and using incrementalism as tactic, got the best deal he could.
Today, he would be in the vanguard of the conservatives.
This is understandable to hear from a run of the mill, lo-info Democrat, but Buddy, you should know better. You cannot judge people (especially politicians) outside of their context.
Nixon WAS a liberal for debasing the currency, creating the EPA and mandating ridiculous wage and price controls.
HWB was not exactly liberal but was to the left of Reagan and only increased taxes when the Dems promised to cut spending. Which they never did. He was not re-elected more because he fell for the left’s tricks rather than standing his ground. That and allowing us to be manipulated into war.
The so called “ultra conservative extremists” of today merely want to follow the law and the constitution. Everyone else wants to do what is expedient and what feathers their own nests, Dems and Reps.