Heeee’s Back: Evan Jenne Is Running Again
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Tallahassee legislators seem to be recycled more frequently than plastic bottles.
Evan Jenne opened a campaign account a few days ago to run for Florida House District 99. The state’s election website wrongly reported he was running for District 100 and Jenne told Browardbeat.com he would seek to correct that error.
Evan Jenne wants to return to the House
Son of former Sheriff Ken Jenne, Evan Jenne was elected to the Florida House in 2006. He was redistricted out of his seat in 2012 — two years before term limits kicked in — and made a short-lived bid for the county commission.
Jenne is running for the South Broward district now held by state Rep. Elaine Schwartz, D-Hollywood, who must leave Tallahassee in 2014 because of term limits.
Under state law, term limits for House members are eight years or four terms. After sitting out a term or running for another district — Jenne is doing both — a member can run again.
Here is what I mean about recycling:
Jenne, a former House member, quest to return to elected official s not unusual among legislators unwilling to end their careers because of term limits.
State Rep. Joseph Gibbons, a Hallandale Beach Democrat also term limited out next year, is running for a South Broward county commission seat in the 2014 election.
If Gibbons wins, he will join three other former colleagues from the Florida House now serving on the commission: Tim Ryan, Stacy Ritter and Martin Kiar, all Ds.
Such former Tallahassee pols as one-time state Rep. Josephus Eggelletion and former state Senate President Jim Scott have also served on the Broward County Commission.
So Jenne is just one more pol who apparently can’t stay away from elected office.
When Jenne dropped out of the commission race last year, the 35-year-old told Browardbeat.com he would not rule out running “somewhere down the line.”
“Somewhere down the line” was just one year later.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:20 pm
Buddy, please consider and give a good look at Beam Furr , past Hollywood Commissioner and a really super charged , positive candidate for the Sue Gunzburger seat that Joe wants to slide into. Beam is a very competent yet unassuming leader who cares and has decades of community service and dedicated local assistance to his credit. Also, he works as a HS Media Specialist. Would be great to see him get a fair shake in our often unfair Broward politics!!
January 30th, 2013 at 8:26 am
If he stays away from Judy Stern he has a chance. Same goes for Gibbons.
January 30th, 2013 at 8:33 am
These career politicians MUST run for local and state office to fatten their pensions. By the way, the pensions for elected officials are much much more lucrative than those of the general employees. That’s way Evan’s pappy fought so hard (unsuccessfully) to keep his pension after his conviction.
January 30th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Evan would be strong choice to fill Elaine’s seat. He understands the community more than most politicians and seems to be liked even by some republicans in that district.
January 30th, 2013 at 5:31 pm
Evan was unable to accomplish virtually anything in his 6 years in office and blamed it on the Republicans. With the political make-up of the legislature remaining unchanged, why would anyone think he would be more successful this time around?????????
January 30th, 2013 at 9:16 pm
I believe a commitment to public service is something to be admired & respected. It isn’t easy to put your whole life out there for the world to see, especially with the intense media & internet attention on your every move. Are there corrupt & inept politicians? Of course there are. Just as there are corrupt and inept people in any profession you can name. The difference is that people who run for elected office have to ask the people who live in their jurisdiction for a vote of confidence every election day. It’s easy to be critical, and there are times when it is appropriate. There are also times when nasty, negative comments are needlessly hurtful to the public figures & their family & friends. By the way, I served with Evan Jenne for several years on the Broward County Charter Schools Task Force. I always found him to be hard working, knowledgeable & well prepared.
January 30th, 2013 at 11:43 pm
“Corrupt and inept” – some say that this has long been a very accurate description of Florida Democratic Party officials…
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http://thepoliticalhurricane.com/2013/01/25/rod-smith-threatens-democrats-about-rules-challenges-using-voter-suppresion-metaphor/
File this under “unbelievable.” We have often talked about the Democratic Party’s unwillingness to follow its own codified rules. But now Chairman Rod Smith is taking things to a new extreme by cautioning members of the State Committee against filing any challenges related to Saturday’s election [for FDP Chair]. Using the mantra of “voter suppression” Smith strongly implies he will judge any challenge unfavorably.
As has been mentioned time and time again on this site the rules of the party exist for a clear reason and in the cases of members of the State Committee they are governed by Florida Statutes. The rules do not exist to be followed when convenient and routinely broken when inconvenient. Chairman Smith much like his immediate predecessors have flaunted the party rules claiming they have inhibited the ability to do the job while selectively enforcing them when a political purpose was served.
Both sides in the race for FDP Chair have the right to fairness and due process under the rules that govern the Florida Democratic Party. But threats towards those who are simply trying to safeguard the integrity of Saturday’s election cannot be deemed acceptable.
The letter from Chairman Smith follows and is in the opinion of this writer, outrageous. […]
January 31st, 2013 at 5:38 am
Barry, you have no shot at winning and less shot of getting anything accomplished if you actually somehow do win.
January 31st, 2013 at 1:34 pm
Thank you, you wonder, for the shout out, but I do not plan to run for that legislative seat for 2014. I’d rather not cut my hair and be forced to keep my big mouth (mostly) shut for that long a period.
Unless, that is, if the only choices being offered in the Democratic Primary are place holders, who, however well meaning and committed, seek enter the position already beaten by the opposition in Tallahassee and without a shot of accomplishing anything, no matter how long their tenure. Insanity, it is said by some, is repeating the same actions and expecting a different result. Personally, if she can convince her new boss to allow it and Wally & the kids to move with her into the District, I’d like to see Amy Rose in the seat. On the other hand maybe Arthur Palamara, will run, as the front runner of course!
February 4th, 2013 at 2:33 am
I got a soft spot in my heart for unions because I think the rank-and-file workers in this country are what sustains the middle class and are what makes us economically sound…at least as compared to other nations. With that in mind, here’s MY take on these races:
Evan Jenne: good guy. Never got tainted by his father’s problems, always worked hard for the middle class. Just a blue collar, hard working politician. I’d love to see him back in the picture because working people/families need advocates like that.
Beam Furr: not so sure…the jury still seems to be out on this one. I came on the scene after him, so not sure how he got started. Claims to be a good union member, but almost single-handedly responsible for the biggest ass-raping of employees that I’ve ever heard of. DESTROYED Hollywood’s workforce. Hollywood is going to be a “third world” community for 20 years because of him, Bober, Asseff, and the like. If you want $9/hour police and firefighters, then that group has turned Hollywood into your ideal place. But if you want qualified professionals who can actually save your life, then RUN, DO NOT WALK, to OTHER communities because the prior commission turned Hollywood into the garbage scow of public employees. Sad. Hollywood used to be amongst the best, now its amongst the worst. If I could afford to move out of the city, I’d do it and never look back.
I am hopeful that Kevin Biderman will bring an insightful change to my district, but I’m not yet convinced. There are numerous local issues that he seems open to, but is still painfully underinformed.
I’ve gotten off on a few tangents based upon other peoples’ comments, but let me get back on topic: Evan Jenne is a good man and I WELCOME his return to politics. Dania’s loss could be Hollywood’s gain (God knows we need it!).
Joe Gibbons: Undecided. Seems to vote the way I like, but personal issues leave me with a feeling of caution. However, if voting records are to be believed, Joe is about a million miles ahead of Beam in terms of supporting the working class, so right now, I see him as the lesser of two evils. Maybe he’ll convince me to vote FOR Joe instead of AGAINST his opponents, but so far, I’m not convinced.
Anyway, my $.02
February 4th, 2013 at 5:18 am
Zzzzzz. Amy rose. The sharp as a pancake political consultant of the sheriff who appears to be asleep at the wheel.