State Rep. Jim Waldman Backs Former Foe
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Democratic State Rep. Jim Waldman is a team player.
A few years ago, Waldman was one of the leaders rounding up votes to elect Plantation Democrat Perry Thurston the Democratic leader of the Florida House.
Thurston’s opponent was state Rep. Joe Gibbons of Pembroke Park.
But when Gibbons was thrown into a newly fashioned district by reappointionment and picked up primary opposition from Miami-Dade County, Waldman put aside his old feelings and was there to help.
Gibbons had a problem.
Roughly 57 percent of his new District 100 was in Miami-Dade, territory he never represented. Running along the beach, the Miami-Dade portion was also 93 percent non-black.
Gibbons is black. His opponent was Sheldon Lisbon, a white Orthodox Jew who was a Surfside commissioner for a short time.
Lisbon allegedly told Miami-Dade voters that they should vote against Gibbons because he “wasn’t like us”, according to the Gibbons campaign.
Waldman, who is Jewish, offered to help.
On primary election day, Waldman worked the one poll in Surfside. It was Lisbon’s home territory.
Gibbons beat Lisbon in the Surfside poll. He also beat him in Miami-Dade 52-48 percent.
“Though I voted against him for leader, once you’re part of the family, however dysfunctional we are, you still support your family. Joe is a real team player and is an effective member,” Waldman explained in an e-mail.
Joe Gibbons (second from left) and Jim Waldman (second from right) 
August 27th, 2012 at 12:07 am
Of course Waldman supported Gibbons, neither of them actually live in the Districts they represent. That is the real story the voters were not made aware of. How is it that Joe’s wife and very young children reside in Jacksonville while Daddy Joe “allegedly” resides in Broward?
August 27th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Jim Waldman is the type of politician we need more of because he actually achieves things in Tallahassee rather than just bloviate. He a moderate and businessman who can get along with the Republicans.
August 28th, 2012 at 9:05 am
Face it. If you are a Democrat who can’t work with Republicans to get things done at the state level, you are useless. You will be ignored. You will be elected but unable to represent your residents.
It is sort of like a bull with no, well, you know what’s. Pointless.
Democrats must learn to work within the zone where things their residents need can happen, otherwise they need to bone up their ability to make excuses for not getting anything done each time they come home to face their voters. The former offers promise for solving problems. The latter has a very limited shelf life.
August 28th, 2012 at 11:28 am
BREAKING NEWS! ONE DEMOCRAT SUPPORTS ANOTHER DEMOCRAT!
Meanwhile, in other news: You Scratch My Back, I’ll Scratch Yours.