Coronavirus czar Pence’s visit to Sarasota fund-raiser puts Americans at risk, Good says
State Rep. Margaret Good, D-Sarasota, lambasted U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan for hosting Vice President Mike Pence this weekend — days after his appointment as the head of a coronavirus task force.
Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, will open his home to Pence during a National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser on Friday. Two days prior, President Donald Trump gave the vice president oversight of a task force to combat the spread of coronavirus, which continued to stoke fears and stock market declines.
Good is running for the Democratic nomination to take on Buchanan in the November general election. Her campaign issued a news release on Friday morning.
In the release, Good said Pence and Buchanan were prioritizing a fundraiser over the health of the American people.
“Pence is coming to Sarasota because National Republicans know that Vern is in trouble — and they’re terrified of losing this seat,” Good said in the release. “In their attempt to save Vern, they’re risking the health and safety of the American people. They need to reorder their priorities, cancel this fundraiser, and focus on containing this virus.”
Buchanan’s campaign manager, Max Goodman, declined to comment on Friday morning, directing questions to the NRCC.
The NRCC’s regional spokeswoman, Camille Gallo, declined to comment on fundraising efforts, but according to the event invitation, proceeds would benefit the congressional committee, not Pence or Buchanan’s campaign.
“Vice President Mike Pence is a special guest for this event,” the invitation states. “This event benefits the NRCC and in no way benefits the Vice President.”
Gallo doubled down on past criticism of Good and her campaign manager, Kevin Lata, who worked on U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in 2016.
“Margaret Good is flailing trying to distract from her party’s front runner being a self-avowed socialist who is a Fidel Castro sympathizer and it’s really quite pathetic,” Gallo said in an email to the Bradenton Herald.
The NRCC exists to win Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, through campaign donations, research assistance, voter registration efforts, turnout programs and “other Party-building activities,” according to its website.
Good started her campaign with a strong fundraising effort, outpacing Buchanan by about $80,000 in the third quarter of 2019, though Buchanan was still ahead in total fundraising. He expanded that lead in January.
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 11:30 AM with the headline "Coronavirus czar Pence’s visit to Sarasota fund-raiser puts Americans at risk, Good says."