Good, Buchanan run for Congress. They want you to know about their differences
A competitive race to represent Florida’s 16th Congressional District centers on clear differences in policy and track records, candidates say.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is seeking re-election after one of his closest battles yet in 2018 when he defeated his Democrat challenger, David Shapiro, by nine percentage points. State Rep. Margaret Good is putting up a similar fight this election cycle.
Good, D-Sarasota, has raised almost as much money as the seven-term Republican incumbent, and an internal poll shows her within 4 points of Buchanan. Both candidates are running to represent the 16th District, which covers Manatee County and parts of Sarasota and Hillsborough counties.
“I’ve been in tough fights before,” Good said. “If you provide people a good alternative and you work hard for it, I trust voters to make good decisions.”
But Buchanan, who was first elected in 2006, has a laundry list of achievements and approved bills in Washington. His own poll of likely voters has him leading Good by 15 points across the district. Campaign advertisements boast his 22 bills that have become law under three different presidents.
There’s still more work to get done in D.C., Buchanan said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald. He said his campaign priorities include recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, boosting small businesses and supporting the district’s veterans and seniors.
“I think the big message is that we have a proven track record of having 22 bills signed into law,” said Buchanan, a senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. “I’m in a better position to deliver on things that matter.”
According to Good, Buchanan’s record shows that he doesn’t have the district’s voters in mind. In previous lines of attack, Good has accused her opponent of voting to get rid of healthcare protections for people with pre-existing conditions, enriching himself with federal tax cuts for the wealthy and taking advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program for his businesses.
“At this moment in our country’s history, the only priority is starting to go back to work and making sure people are safe and healthy,” Good said.
Good, who was first elected to the Florida House in 2018 when she defeated Buchanan’s son James in a special election, says her main focus in Washington will be to safely kickstart the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic.
If Good replaces him in Washington, Buchanan said he’s not so sure the Democrat can match his bipartisan record.
“I think it’s my effectiveness and the ability to deliver. I’ve been there a while. I’ve got the relationships, and because Florida has so much clout as the third-largest state, things that are important to Sarasota and Manatee, I can deliver and get that done,” Buchanan responded when asked about the biggest difference between him and his opponent. “I don’t think Margaret would have a chance at all.”
Buchanan’s accomplishments have been self-serving, Good said in an interview. If elected, Good said she also hopes to improve water quality regulation, provide better access to healthcare and support small businesses.
“I’m running because I believe that we deserve better representation. I believe we deserve somebody who shows up in the district, listens to her constituents and then works for them. That’s what I’ve done,” she explained. “That’s not what Buchanan does.”
As co-chair of Congress’ Florida delegation, Buchanan said his bipartisan record speaks for itself, pointing to several instances where he went against the party line, including his push to end offshore drilling and his vote against leaving the Paris Climate Accord.
“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. If you talk to any commissioners or any elected leaders in Manatee County, it’s entirely different. The reality is she’s never done anything in the three years she’s been (in the Florida Legislature). She hasn’t passed one bill,” Buchanan said, referring to Good’s track record. “I was able to get multiple bills done. All she can do is attack, but the reality is she hasn’t delivered.”
Good said she’s most proud of her effort to improve water quality in Florida. The Republican-led Legislature ultimately approved a version of her bill that increased regulations and fines on corporations that violate pollution discharge regulations.
“I worked really hard to tackle the issues that matter for the community that I serve,” said Good, who noted that she and her staff also assisted Florida residents who needed help navigating the unemployment website at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Throughout the election cycle, both candidates have traded barbs about each other’s political records. Candidates traded the latest volley during a debate hosted by Manatee Educational Television Friday afternoon. Buchanan and Good went back and forth on policy proposals, voting records and promises to represent the district constituents.
The contentious debate featured a barrage of attacks from each candidate, with Buchanan claiming that Good is responsible for Florida’s plagued unemployment systems and Good accusing the Republican incumbent of voting against healthcare and water quality protections.
Buchanan has raised about $3.3 million in his bid for re-election. Good has raised about $3 million. Election Day is Nov. 3.
This story was originally published October 24, 2020 at 7:03 AM.
