Buchanan, Shapiro are riding waves. Which will come crashing down in November?

Vern Buchanan is no stranger to the election season. The six-term Republican congressman has held a tight grip on Florida’s 16th Congressional District seat, but this year, he says, his challenger in the Nov. 6 election is putting up a tough fight.

“This is more competitive,” Buchanan said of this year’s race. “The climate is competitive, but we’ve got a good track record. I feel that our record speaks for itself.”

That’s one point that he and David Shapiro agree on. It’s what Shapiro has been preaching to voters in the 16th Congressional District, which covers all of Manatee County, as well as northern Sarasota and southern Hillsborough counties. The 59-year-old Democrat cited his opponent’s voting record as proof that he needs to be replaced.

“The record itself shows he has opposed Environmental Protection Agency regulations, voted to diminish the Clean Water Act, and he’s taking money from big sugar corporations that are contributing to what’s going on with red tide,” Shapiro said. “I’m going to fight for the people, while Vern wants to fight for himself. That has shown over the last 12 years, most recently with the tax law. That’s a shining example.”

There’s certainly no love lost between the two candidates. Neither wasted much time trying to tarnish the other, with Buchanan, 67, airing ads against Shapiro before he had officially won the Democratic nomination and Shapiro holding a rally outside of the incumbent’s office to criticize a controversial yacht purchase made on the same day Buchanan voted to pass sweeping tax legislature.

What are the top campaign issues?

While the congressional candidates have been quick to throw mud at one another, the devil is in the details when it comes to their ideological differences. Shapiro has championed an agenda based on bipartisanship. In a recent campaign ad, he said politicians like Buchanan and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi “have to go.”

Both candidates say they’re interested in preserving Florida’s environment, ensuring that veterans get their benefits and protecting the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare. However, they toe the party line on other campaign issues.

Shapiro, who has worked for more than 30 years as a local personal injury lawyer, called for “common-sense” gun control that involves closing the gun show loophole and banning assault weapons. He previously participated in Bradenton’s March For Our Lives following the Parkland shooting that left 17 dead.

“There’s no reason, as far as I can tell, why a weapon of war should be in a civilian population,” Shapiro said. “This is common-sense gun safety, and I believe we can square that with the Second Amendment. They’re not binary.”

The Democrat has also advocated for working class tax cuts, an increase in minimum wage pay, LGBTQ rights and affordable healthcare.

Gov. Rick Scott made the right move by increasing gun protections in the wake of Florida’s deadliest school shooting, said Buchanan, who has notably taken donations from the National Rifle Association in the past. In March, the governor signed a bill into law that raised the legal age to purchase a firearm.

“I think the state is doing the right thing in terms of some of the things they passed. School safety is a big part of it,” Buchanan said. “We need to figure out what more we can do to protect our schools and continue with background checks.”

Buchanan’s other priorities include improving on the tax cuts he ushered in by helping write the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, helping out small business and fending off issues like red tide and the nationwide opioid crisis.

President Donald Trump is expected to sign Buchanan’s 16th legislative initiative, an opiod-related measure, into law this month. The incumbent congressman hopes voters will look at his contributions over the years when it’s time to cast their ballots.

“The biggest thing I see is that people are concerned about dysfunction in Washington and I try to bring leadership there,” said Buchanan. “My attitude is that I’m a representative of the city and county. If they have issues, I work for them. I’m humbled to be a congressman. I represent the community the best I can, which means I have to listen to my constituents.”

Which candidate is raising more money?

As one of the wealthiest congressmen in the nation, Buchanan leveraged his own wealth to contribute $500,000 to his campaign. According to election finance records from the Federal Election Commission, that contribution gave him the edge over Shapiro, who has pitched in $200,000 to his election bid. By the end of September, the FEC said Buchanan had raised $2.7 million compared to Shapiro’s $2.1 million.

Cash on-hand reports are a different story, though. Shapiro had just over $400,000 on hand, while Buchanan was still sitting on $1.4 million. Despite financial support that brings him within striking distance of Buchanan, Shapiro’s support from national Democrats may be wavering.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee enlisted Shapiro in its Red to Blue program, but according to a media watchdog, the organization canceled a $500,000 ad buy in the Tampa Bay area that was set to air in the final week leading up to Election Day. The move came just days after polls suggested Buchanan holds up to a 10-point lead over Shapiro.

Shapiro said he was aware of the ad cancellation, but said it’s a far cry from what Buchanan’s campaign said was a sign of the DCCC “pulling the plug” on his campaign.

“We’re doing really well and we feel good locally. I don’t know why (they canceled the ad buys), but they’re helping in other ways,” he explained. “They’re still invested and believe it can be flipped; I know I certainly do.”

Trailing in the polls or not, Shapiro said he’s determined to finish the race strong.

“The last couple of weeks is when people really start getting engaged and making their decision, so I’m not really worried about it,” he said. “It’s still a long time for people to drill deeper and figure out who’s going to represent them best in Congress.”

Are the attacks fair?

The back-and-forth attacks haven’t been pretty.

After being targeted by independent “dark money” groups, Buchanan hit back with his own attack ads, claiming that Shapiro’s stock holdings in companies like Exxon Mobil and Haliburton undermine his environmental platform. Shapiro has pointed to Buchanan as one of the causes of national debt that keeps spiraling out of control.

The incumbent said the only thing that’s out of control is the amount of dark money his opponent’s campaign brought in.

“Shapiro and his dark money is unprecedented, with the millions of dollars in donations,” Buchanan said, referring to groups like Floridians For A Fair Shake, that aired ads on Shapiro’s behalf.

Those attacks aren’t something Shapiro is proud of, he said, but he noted that it came from both sides and that it has helped energize voters across the district

“Do I like the negativity? No. Who would? But I think people are paying more attention to the issues,” he said.

Shapiro has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the League of Conservation Voters Act Fund, BullSugar, the American Federation of Government Employees, SwingLeft and the DCCC.

Buchanan has been endorsed by various groups, including the Humane Society, the 60 Plus Association, the National Federation of Independent Business and Animal Wellness Action. He is the only Florida Republican endorsed by Ocean Champions.

Both candidates will participate in a televised live debate on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. hosted by ABC 7 MySuncoast.

This story was originally published October 18, 2018 at 5:00 AM.