Florida GOP leaders, voters rally in Sarasota for 2022 election. ‘We’re at a crossroads.’
Hundreds of Sarasota and Manatee County residents attended a candidate rally Saturday at Robarts Arena to hear from Florida’s top Republicans and local candidates.
State GOP officials — including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan and local party leaders — spoke at the event, rallying the crowd and urging them to vote for Republican candidates in this year’s upcoming elections.
Gov. Ron DeSantis had been listed as a potential speaker but could not attend due to a family emergency, organizers said.
“It’s great coming together to have this event, but really, what this is about is the candidates and the voters. We want to make sure everyone gets to talk to each candidate, get to know them a little bit, get their brochures and then decide which candidate you want to vote for,” said Steve Vernon, president of Manatee County’s Republican Executive Committee.
“After Aug. 23, whoever that candidate is, we support them because we’re the Republican Party,” Vernon added, referring to candidates that will advance to the General Election on Nov. 8.
As the keynote speaker at Saturday’s event, Rubio railed against controversial topics, such as critical race theory and trans athletes, which have become central campaign points for some Republican candidates.
“I’m happy you’re fired up and you should be,” Rubio told the crowd. “Elections have always been a choice between different views and ideas, but I do not recall a time in modern history when the choice has been as stark as it is today.”
Rubio also blamed Democrats across the country for issues, such as inflation and rising gas prices. He urged voters to vote Republican and in favor of “common sense” policies.
“For 18 months, the entire federal government has been in the hands of one political party, and they are 100% responsible for the challenges our country is facing today,” Rubio said.
Boasting his recent endorsement from former President Donald J. Trump, Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, was the first to take the stage in front of an audience of around 500 people. An event organizer said late Saturday that by the end of the event total attendance was around 1,200 people.
“First things first, we need to gather and we will fire Nancy Pelosi,” Buchanan said, prompting huge applause from the crowd. “And in two years, we’ll fire Biden, (U.S. Sen.) Bernie Sanders, (Vice President) Kamala (Harris), and the Squad. They need to be gone. They’re socialists.”
“I can tell you we’re at the crossroads,” Buchanan continued. “This is the most important election.”
Speaking with the Bradenton Herald, several local residents said they were looking forward to the possibility of seeing DeSantis speak.
“Oh, gosh, yeah. He’s my No. 1,” said Jane Pettit, a 74-year-old Sarasota resident, who wore a blue shirt that read DeSantisLand, styled to resemble Disney’s famous logo.
When asked whether she would like to see DeSantis run for president in 2024, Pettit explained that it would be a tough choice for her.
“It’s hard because I do like Trump, and I’d hate to lose DeSantis here in Florida,” Pettit said. “Either Trump or DeSantis has my vote.”
Other rally visitors agreed that losing DeSantis would be a tough blow for Florida Republicans.
“We’re selfish,” said Susie Tran, a 64-year-old resident from Castleberry, near Orlando. “We want to keep DeSantis to ourselves for as long as we can.”
Liem Bui, a 62-year-old St. Cloud resident, is a member of a Vietnamese American Conservative Alliance and travels along the East Coast to support grassroots movements.
On Saturday, Bui and Tran left home at 6 a.m. to attend the rally in support of their friend and Florida State Senate District 22 candidate Michael Johnson.
Bui, who lived in California for 39 years, said he moved to Florida a little over a year ago in support of DeSantis’ conservative values.
When Bui met DeSantis at another Republican rally, he got the governor to sign his hat.
“My hat says ‘Make Florida America,‘ and I stick by that principle,” Bui said.
Saturday’s rally was the first of its kind since 2018, Sarasota-Manatee Republican leaders said. More than 40 state and local candidates attended the event, manning booths and spreading their message to interested voters.
While DeSantis couldn’t attend Saturday’s rally, three of the candidates he recently endorsed for Manatee School Board were in attendance.
“It’s crucial we elect strong candidates who are committed to advancing our pro-parent, student-first education agenda in Florida,” DeSantis posted in a Facebook post endorsing 16 candidates, including Chad Choate, Cindy Spray and Col. Richard Tatem.
In interviews with the Bradenton Herald, each candidate said they were grateful to receive the governor’s blessing.
“I feel very blessed and honored to have the governor’s endorsement. I want to hold true to my truth and our overall values as Americans,” Spray said.
“I’m extremely honored and humbled,” Choate added. “Obviously, he appointed me back in August, but for him to put his neck on the line for me means that he trusts me to make Manatee County schools some of the best in Florida.”
Asked about a potential presidential run in 2024, Tatem said he’s confident that whatever decision DeSantis makes will be the right one.
“If he chooses to run for president, I will support him,” Tatem explained. “If he chooses to remain our governor, I will support him. I just hope that he prays, seeks guidance and makes the decision that’s best for him.”
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published July 16, 2022 at 1:24 PM.
