Jim Boyd and Anthony Eldon compete for Florida Senate. It’s experience vs. new ideas
Two candidates are running to fill Senate President Bill Galvano’s seat in Tallahassee but only one of them knows what it’s like to lead in the Florida Legislature.
After a two-year hiatus, former state Rep. Jim Boyd is seeking political office again, hoping to win the Florida Senate District 21 seat that represents all of Manatee County and parts of Hillsborough County. He previously served in the Florida House between 2010 and 2018.
“When I was up there, we lowered taxes, paid down debt, increased reserves and also passed a lot of pretty significant legislation, but there’s still some more work to be done,” said Boyd, who was instrumental in fighting the opioid crisis.
Anthony Eldon, 23, Boyd’s Democrat opponent, is up for the challenge, though. The local teacher says he’s ready to turn his activism into real policy changes. Eldon was nominated for the seat after Amanda Linton dropped out of the race to relocate with her family.
“I’m thinking about how there’s so much that we can do that we’ve yet to do. (Florida is) the 16th largest economy in the world,” Eldon said. “I’m really not here to make a name for myself but to help each and every person, regardless of party, make a name for their selves. I want to give any and every one the resources they need to pursue whatever it is they want to pursue.”
Both candidates agreed that responding to the COVID-19 crisis is Florida’s main priority, but they disagree on whether state officials have made the right decisions. Boyd said he was proud of the Florida Legislature’s response while Eldon was critical of their actions.
“I support what they’ve done,” Boyd, 64, explained. “Everybody’s got an opinion, of course, but the evidence is firm that we’re headed in the right direction. As long as we act responsibly as fellow citizens and act with respect, we can be part of the solution.”
“When all of this started, and the Legislature decided not to go into a special session, that was a terrible mistake,” Eldon contested. “People died because of that. I can’t look at these numbers and say, ‘We did good.’ We never got past the first wave of COVID. We’re in a war of attrition against this disease.”
If elected, Boyd said he would continue to follow Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plans to safely reopen in phases. Eldon said he would rather see the state “listen to the science” and continue to increase testing availability.
Eldon, a teacher at Buffalo Creek Middle School in Parrish, said his top priorities are a science-based response to the coronavirus pandemic, improving the public education system and protecting Florida’s environment.
“I see all the issues in education firsthand because I’m a teacher,” he said. “Just today I had kids ask me if I could make their lunches better when I get up there.”
Previous experience in Tallahassee means that Boyd can hit the ground running, he said. His priorities include responding to the COVID-19 crisis, managing an expected budget deficit and continuing to push education about the danger of opioid addiction.
“The opioid crisis is still out there,” he said. “We need education for young people and students and educate them on what this horrible epidemic has done and what it can do.”
Despite the age difference between the candidates, Boyd says he’s not taking the campaign against Eldon for granted, noting that an official’s birth year doesn’t make much of a difference in Tallahassee.
“I’ve served with very young House members, and they were good,” Boyd recalled. “I don’t know my opponent very well, but youth and age isn’t a factor. If he’s got the right qualifications, youth won’t be an issue.”
Putting age aside, Boyd said he believes he’s the right candidate for several reasons, including his previous experience, his relationship with the community and his support of law enforcement.
“We’re pretty different on important issues, so I disagree with his defunding of the police and raising taxes to work our way of this issue,” Boyd said, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. “That’s just a result of ideology. My ideology is more conservative, his is more aggressively liberal.”
“Our communities have been relatively safe during all of this and that’s due to strong and conservative leadership. I will always be 110 percent behind the law enforcement that goes out to protect us today,” he added.
Conservative policies have put Florida at a disadvantage, Eldon argued. He accused Boyd of voting to gut the unemployment system and supporting a Legislature that hasn’t been effective for everyday Floridians.
“People say government doesn’t do anything, and he was in government. I don’t say that to bash him, but if you’re tired of the same old thing, go with something new,” Eldon said. “I really do think there’s a chance. This is 2020. It’s throwing curveballs at us from every angle, and so maybe I might be one of 2020’s curveballs.”
Campaign finance documents show a stark difference in fundraising. Eldon has raised about $19,000, while Boyd has raised more than $400,000.
To learn more about Eldon’s campaign, visit www.TonyForFlorida.com. To learn more about Boyd’s campaign, visit www.BoydForFlorida.com.
