Too Late For Daniel Webster?
Is Webster Out of Time?
I thought I take a break from watching the compelling NBA playoffs to jot down some thoughts on Daniel Webster’s decision to enter the race.
Side note: for those of you who are starting to tire of my constant references to sports, get over it. I’m a guy, which means that there are really only two things that matter in life: sports and politics. Then again, I am a heterosexual (married) male in my mid-twenties, so make that three things that really matter.
Here’s my concern about Webster. I don’t want to rain on the party of all his supporters, but I’m concerned he entered the race too late. Todd Long has been at this a long time and seems to have tremendous Tea Party support. Bruce O’Donoghue seems to be raising a lot of money. Where does that leave Daniel Webster? Perhaps if he had entered earlier, more of the religious subset of the Tea Party movement would have held out before jumping behind Long, and more of the establishment might have waited before backing O’Donoghue.
I could be wrong, but it seems a number of key individuals would love to support Webster, but because of his delay, have already lent support to other candidates.
Don’t get me wrong. Webster will be able to garner tremendous support, and will be a force to be reckoned with. In the end, I think this could break well for Todd Long. Because of how early he announced his campaign, and his Tea Party credibility, his campaign is not as dependent on the larger money sources. Webster could end up helping Long by depleting some donors who would have otherwise backed O’Donoghue. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.
In the end, we have three good candidates. My hope is that these fine gentlemen will run a clean, positive primary campaign, so that there is no lack of support for the victor. The last thing we need is for mudslinging among friends to hurt our chances at accomplishing the ultimate goal: kicking Grayson out of office.
Dan Webster has got to hit the ground running to make up for lost time!
Many, many people respect Dan Webster and he deserves it. But we need to know that Dan Webster is in it to win it!
As Jesse Phillips indicates above, winning the primary is not a done-deal for Webster. He is going to have to have to work if he wants to earn people’s votes.
To my knowledge, there is not even a website for the Webster campaign. That is disappointing.
Tomorrow morning, I hope to see that the campaign is full steam ahead!
Keep on with your references to sports- we are sports lovers.
My son is State Representative Kurt Kelly- who got into this race when Dan Webster told him face-to-face he would not run. He is second in fund raising and will be a representative for all people in the district. Kurt is a new, bold leader recognized for his determination and outstanding ability to speak. Don’t count him out in this race.
Evelyn,
Thanks for posting. I have not met Kurt yet. Is he on Facebook? I’d love to meet him and I definitely appreciate his desire to serve his country in this way.
- Jesse Phillips
[...] Originally posted at the Orlando Political Press. [...]
Hi,
Kurt is on Facebook both as Kurt Kelly and Kurt Kelly for Congress. When Kurt is through with session this week (hopefully), he will be often in Orlando- and will be opening a headquarters there.
Want you to meet him- like you he is an avid sports fan. His son was on the championship Trinity Catholic football team and has a scholarship to Valdosta State.
Very good article Jesse, but you left one person out. The only person that is on the ballot because she got over 5000 signed petitions wanting her to be on it, the candidate of the people conservative Republican Patriica Sullivan. The other candidates had to pay $10,000 plus to get their name on the ballot. How did you ever miss her name, Patricia Sullivan. Remember that name, Patricia Sullivan, her citizen army is numerous and getting larger. She is the only candidate to actually stand up to Alan Grayson, not once but twice and each time she embarrassed him and backed him down. At candidate forums she wins hands down, compared to the other candidates, she is more articulate, and more knowledgeable than any of them. You may have overlooked her name in this article but guaranteed, she is the real deal and you will not be able to overlook it again.
If you would like a candidate that is fiscally responsible and believes in the Constitution as it is written, then visit http://www.patriciasullivanforcongress.com and check out Patricia Sullivan. She is the only candidate that got her name on the ballot by signature petition only. She did not use one penny of tax payer money. She is a conservative with a lot of back bone and knowledge to take on Alan Grayson and win. You won’t be disappointed.
Why haven’t you mentioned Patricia Sullivan? She is the best of all of them. Do some research and you will see. She has a website and a facebook page.
There are more folks in this race than Todd Long, Kurt Kelly and Dan Webster. We also have Patricia Sullivan who already has collected sufficient signatures to be on the ballot. She is a significant force of the North Lake Tea Party and is a prime example of everything we would want to represent us in Washington.
I am amazed you would ignore a candidate that co-founded the North Lake Tea Party and is already on the ballot for the primary. Please do some research on Patricia Sullivan, she is the kind of “change” we need in Washington and I “hope” people will realize this.
Every now and then I run across articles that overlook Patricia Sullivan but I want to let you know about her. The people of this district have the right to know that she was the first to get on the ballot. She and only she got on the ballot with signed petitions, over 5000 turned in. Patricia has an army of volunteers that have been behind her and growing each day since she announced her candidacy last October at Constitution Green. Atleast four others tried to get enough petitions signed but fell short, this was a great accomplishment and should be acknowledged. By working hard she saved her supporters $10,400 and this just goes to show that she will not just write a check to take care of business but will look at ways to save the hard working people of the district money. Patricia Sullivan has also just got the endorsement from I-Causus which says alot. I am so tired of the press continually leaving her name out of their articles. She is the people’s choice and she will prevail, for it is not the money, nor attorney degree, nor the big name career politician endorsements that will be voting but the people.
Jesse Philips admits to being only in his mid-twenties. Jesse, you have a lot of nerve thinking anyone would give take seriously anything you have to say about politics. You simply do not have enough gray hair to make serious comments. Proof of your naivete is that you failed to mention the most serious candidate in the race, Patricia Sullivan. Patricia Sullivan is the people’s choice because she is of the people. She is not a professional politician like Dan Webster nor an unreliable alcoholic like Todd Long. Patricia Sullivan is the real deal and everyone in my family is voting for her.
You mentioned that Todd Long has the support of the Tea Party, and that may well be, Patricia Sullivan however IS Tea Party.
Patricia(R) is the only candidate in Congressional Dist. 8 to get on the ballot by Petition. This is how conservative truly conserve supporter’s donations. She is also the only candidate from District 8 to be endorsed by I-Caucus. Her Army of Supporters are Many, Far and Wide. She wouldn’t have voted on the Sun Rail either. Patricia Sullivan is not a politician, Patricia Sullivan is a Patriot.
I challenge anyone who hasn’t had a chance to learn about
Patricia Sullivan, a true Patriot running on the
Republican ballot, to go to her website at
http://www.PatriciaSullivanforCongress.com and see why so many citizens are backing her. –Actually, I challenge you to learn about all the candidates and compare.
Patricia Sullivan has integrity, outstanding knowledge and appreciation of our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, and the history of our great country. She will work for the people, not the other way around! She is level-headed, sincere, and is a leader with common sense for the future (No pork there!).
Take my challenge; you’ll be glad that you did!
I agree with those that are talking about Patricia Sullivan! This is a woman that, prior to stating her desire to serve the citizens of Florida in the U.S. House replacing the Non-Representative Alan Grayson, was the co-organizer of the North Lake TEA Party…not a small group, these Patriots! She has organized an “army” of volunteers that have worked tirelessly to get the necessary petition names so that her name would be put on the ballot. This effort saved around $10,000.00 and shows that she is genuinely honest about being fiscally responsible. Something that is a rarity nowadays. She is the real-deal and, I believe, the Energizer Bunny in disguise as a Patriot, not a Politician!! You and everyone in District 8 owes it to themselves to get to know her. You will not be disappointed!! It boggles my mind that she wasn’t mentioned in this article!!!
This is what is totally wrong with journalism, no one seems to do the job. Journalistic integraty is just not what it use to be. Patricia Sullivan got her name on the ballot early on, she did that on her own without big money just patriots… and she is a force to be reckoned with.. that is why they are affraid to give her any print…We the people will do the job for the news media…
It will not be one of three men who get Grayson out of office but a Mom, Patricia Sullivan for congress.com check her out see what they are affraid of. go ahead.
Wow, it seems like Patricia social media efforts are out in full force.
I have met Patricia several times and I really like her, and think she is a great candidate. This article was not intended to analyze every candidate in the field, but to simply address how I think Daniel Webster might be running out of time. Forgive me for mentioning Todd Long and not everybody else. That was completely “my bad.” I would love nothing more than for Patricia Sullivan to beat Grayson.
Bob,
You said I had a lot of nerve thinking anyone would take me seriously. I understand that it’s easy to dismiss someone who’s young. But since there are no fewer than 11 comments taking issue with what I said, it seems like at least some people are taking it seriously.
Also, before you go off calling people alcoholics, may I refer you to my last paragraph?
“My hope is that these fine gentlemen [and ladies] will run a clean, positive primary campaign, so that there is no lack of support for the victor. The last thing we need is for mudslinging among friends to hurt our chances at accomplishing the ultimate goal: kicking Grayson out of office.”
Sounds like Jesse is an obvious supporter of Todd Long. What Jesse has failed to high light is that there is a “player” (Patricia Sullivan) who was able to get the 4500 signatures to have her name placed on the ballet. I believe that the rest (including Todd Long and Webster) will have to pay the $10,000 to get their names on the ballet. Yes, she actually met face-to-face with her future constituents. So Jesse, you obviously support Long … but the long and short of it is that you should at least become more knowledgeable of a fiscally conservative like Patricia Sullivan.
These blogs ARE interesting readiing!! Jesse, I will not hold your age against you! I will say this however. In my 28 years of being old enough to vote, and being observant of political trends, I have never seen a movement so mis-understood by the news media as the TEA Party movement. I firmly believe that “WE THE PEOPLE’ are going to shock the country come November! The bent toward supporting the long standing political “powers that be” by the news media is causing many to overlook the obvious. Many, if not most, people in this country are fed up with the way career politicians have been leading, behaving, squandering, (list many other verbs here!). Being a career politician will be a negative in the upcoming election.
If we want true reform in government, if we want REAL change instead of smoke and mirrors, we need people like Patricia Sullivan to be bold, take a chance, and take over! She is the real deal!! She is fiscally conservative. She is committed to her principles and values and will not go along just because someone who “has been here longer” tells her how to vote. If you have not, please check out Patricia Sullivan for Congress!
Kelly supporters mention his fund raising, but Patricia Sullivan has a committed army – the difference is that one type of candidate collects contributions from funders who want something in return, and the other, like Patricia, focus on direct connections to taxpayers who vote and want a representative of them and not special interests. See http://www.patriciasullivanforcongress.com .
GRAYSON IS A MISOGYNIST. GRAYSON’S DECOURUM IS UNBEFITTING A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT. IT WOULD BE QUITE FELICTIOUS FOR THE VOTERS TO REPLACE HIM WITH PATRICIA SULLIVAN.
Jesse,
Thank God for young people like you who are interested in the conservative agenda and will provide a forum..
Like you, Kurt wants to keep a positive, message-driven agenda so a Republican will defeat Alan Grayson. I am so sorry he has not been on the campaign speaking trail. He has been tied with his legislative duties. Hopefully, that will end this week.
Again, thanks for your comments.
The only candidates I see in this race against Alan Grayson are Patricia Sullivan and Daniel Webster. I like both. The main difference is that Patricia Sullivan is not a politician. She is a concerned citizen who entered this race because of a coviction that something had to be done to reign in this uncontrolled government. The politics as usual mentality in Washington needed to stop and she stepped up to the plate.
In contrast, Daniel Webster is a career politician. Is he more beholdimg to the Republican party or to the people who are electing him?
Tea Party Movement supporters and independents will find Patricia Sullivan to be a true conservative choice.
James K:
You said “Jesse is an obvious supporter of Todd Long.” James, I’m not sure how my analysis of the political winds as potentially breaking in favor of Todd Long (and other non-establishment types like Patricia) is the same as supporting someone. For example, I always thought that Obama getting elected would help healthcare overhaul to pass, but this does not mean I am a supporter of Obamacare!
I’m just analyzing, not supporting.
Jessie, sorry to have to inform you that you have forgotten the one person that got on the ballot by petitions not paying with tax payer money, her name is Patricia Sullivan, she is a true Conservative Republican not a career politician, Mr. Webster might be okay, but he is beholden to the party not the people. You are not doing your job by omitting her.
Couldn’t believe my eyes when I read that Todd Long had Tea Party support. That is misguided news. You must be working for his campaign. Patricia Sullivan, co-founder of the North Lake Tea Party, has tremendous Tea Party support. You must feel threatened by her to omit her name.
Proud Veteran:
First of all, thank you for your service to our country! Secondly, I’m not endorsing Todd Long. You can read my comments in the thread above for an explanation.
Thanks!
Daniel Webster does have a website.
Rep Kurt Kelly is the candidate that will represent all of District 8. Kurt was raised in Ocala and knows the issued we face as Central Floridians. I invite all to meet Kurt. Go to his website at http://www.kellyforcongress.com
and check him out. Kurt to the candidate that can beat Grayson.
Kurt Kelly is a new generation of bold conservatives who has the leadership and experience from being in the Fl Legslator for three years. District 8 so badly needs Kurt to be a true servant of the people not want is there now-Grayson. Kurt Kelly is for want limited government,concerned about national secuirty and wants to see the restoration of family values. Let’s take America back and send Grayson a “pink slip” in Nov.
As a FL House of Representative legslator, he knows want it is to fight for his constituents. Kurt is one of us and now he needs the peoples help- Elect Kurt Kelly on August 24.
Come up and meet him at rallies all over the district in the next few months. You will like him and see that he is a real fighter. God bless America.
Join the Kelly team. It is in full action. Beat Grayson isour cry. Reset America in 2010.
http://www.kellyforcongress.com
Our state can do better than sending another career politican to Washington, 30 years in office is enough!!! Webster is the epitome of career politican.
Send Ross Bieling to Washington, a businessman not a politican.
Check out his website, BielingforCongress.com
Vote for Kurt Kelly to D.C. His has the fire in his belly to take on Grayson. Kurt has business and legislative experience. Most of all -he’s a common sense Reagan inspired conservative.
http://www.kellyforcongress.com
Vote Kelly for Congress on Ausgust 24.
I like Dan Werster but I am very upset that he waited so long to get in the race for Graysons seat in the 8th District. I spoke to Dan twice and ask would he run, Dan’s answer was he is enjoying life and why would he want to give that up. Kurt had already announced He was going to run in the 8th District.I spend a lot of time with Kurt and his early supporters He is a born again christain,he is prolife,he promarriage {a man and a women], he believes we should protect our borders,,he supports the 2nd amendment, He is a conservative and he wants Secure the blessings of Liberty to Oursrlves and Our Posterity. I made a commitment to support Kurt and I will stand by my commitmen! I turly beleive Kurt Kelly is the RIGHT MAN for the 8th district. You should go to Kurts website http://www.gokurtkelly.com and see why I support Kurt. It appears to me that Dan jump in late expecting the other candidences to jump out of the race.
About the website for Dan:
http://www.ElectWebster.com
Dan Webster is grossly mis-characterized as a “career politician”. His opponents are trial lawyers (who really add something to the quality of our lives by pandering to the most base element of human nature…GREED”, and forcing the cost of virtually EVERYTHING to go up for those of us who work for a living, and aren’t always waiting for the “Brass Ring” of non-lotteries.
Dan is, and has been, a BUSINESSMAN long before many of you were even BORN..He left his business (to the care of family), AND his FAMILY, often, in order to do more than send caustic, complaining emails to his buds. His business suffered for it (Legislators were making around $20,000 a year, less maintain two homes, living on the road, etc), and he NEVER complained.
Turning Webster’s willingness to be a citizen legislator, something almost NO ONE as capable as he would EVER do…into a NEGATIVE… is not just cold and mean…it’s DISHONEST!!!
Apology – I got sidetracked, and never go to Webster’s non-lawyer opponents, who include the very bright Pat Sullivan, who formed a TEA Movement group, for example.
I’d like to point out that, simply because using the attack that “you were THERE” to replace you is awfully myopic. Glad you folks haven’t noticed how many fire fighters, Law Enforcement Officers, Teachers, and Military Service Members have been at THEIR jobs for over 2 years!
It’s time for Daniel Webster to hang it up!!!! He has NO FiRE to go up against Grayson. Let others run like O’Donoghue.
Webster is a flip-flopper. He tells the Orlando people back in the fall that he will not run for Congress. This is not a man of his word. In my Bible, that is called lying. He lacks integrity.He has no energy. He lacks any luster for the youth . Most of his endorsements are of the same old political machines that we the people are sick of seeing- like Bush and the other old guys from decades ago. Webster is a career politician. As a young man, I would never consider Dan Webster to be my representative.
God help America- I’m concerned for the future.
DCREVOLT.ORG
Wow! I am thankful we have a field of very good people running against Grayson.
To say it is too late for Webster is incorrect. He is a fine man with great integrity. He knows how to get things done because he has done it. It is very easy to say I’m going to do this and that. However, until you have done it you can’t be sure you really can do anything. You might want to….but that doesn’t hold up to actually doing it. To me not jumping in shows he really wanted to do what was right not just go for the next thing. I like that he took his time. Who decided when the right time was anyway? This very well could be his opponent already starting to attack who we are. Honest Americans who care about our country.
We are talking about going up against Grayson….this man has no morals…to him the end justify the means. This is something most of us don’t believe in. Well, Webster is the polar opposite to this man. Maybe we should consider who Webster is and not when he entered.
He would represent us well. Reagan was a governor before he became president. Not everyone who has served before is a corrupt.
Bottom line is defeating Grayson and having someone stand for what is right.
The bottom line is Kurt Kelly is the candidate that can defeat Alan Grayson!! I support Kurt Kelly for Congress!!
Dan Webster is nothing more than a CAREER POLITICIAN and his friends in Tallahassee are trying to do everything they can to reward one of their own. You would think after 28 years he would learn how to speak in public. Seriously, the guy is a horrible speaker. There is no way he could take on the firebrand Alan Grayson. A vote for Webster is the same thing we did when we put Bob Dole up against the slick Bill Clinton. At least stand behind someone with some fire in their belly like Kurt Kelly or Ross Bieling.
Vote for Kurt Kelly- he’s the one to defeat Grayson.
http://www.kellyforcongress.com
Daniel Webster is the most honorable statesman in recent Florida history. Sure, he was there a long time – when he started in 1980, the Republicans were banished to the back row, and hardly even allowed to bring up legislation. Ever since then, Daniel Webster has been a key leader in changing Tallahassee.
In 1996, The Florida House was a lot like Washington is now. When Dan Webster became Speaker, he put a stop to all that. No longer was it a power-based system, where a few key leaders held all the reins. He transformed it to a system based on principles, where each bill was run through the grid of good public polity.
As Speaker, he cut 20% out of the House budget. He pushed tax cuts through the system. He promptly ended Session at 6:00pm, and did everything in the light of day. Every member was a player, and their voice was heard to represent the people.
So many of these reforms are exactly what we need in Washington. I support Daniel Webster because he has the character, honor, and proven, principled leadership to stand strong in Washington, and lead our country back to her original heritage.
Daniel Webster is not honorable. He lied to the voters of district 8 by saying that he was not running. He is at the least dishonest, and there is no way that after he broke our trust on that, that we should trust hi to be our congressman.
Not only is it too late for Dan, but he never attends or “stays for the entire” candidate forums. What’s up with that Dan???
I agree DowntownOtown- why does Dan Webster leave before the question and answers at a forum and does not attend others? Is he afraid to get in front of people or afraid of answering questions? This is a big problem.
Recently, Webster said he never used a license plate tag with legislator on it- his wors “it was a perk”. Well- Webster what about a having a highway named after you? How much did that cost the taypayers?
What about misusing state funds as a legislature by buying smoothies and Moes on your Republican American Express card? What’s up with this double standard!
Webster will only be in Congress for what he will get and not stand for the people. He is way too old- no energy.
He should get out and move over for a younger candidate.
Why does Webster come to forums and leave before the question and answer time? Or better yet.,why does he say he is coming- like to Westport, yesterday and not show up at all? Is he afraid that if people really saw him TRY to answer question that they would question his ability to speak ?
Webster needs to be a man of honoring his word. This is becoming a habit. First , promising most of the candidates that he would not run for district 8 Congress. Then at the qualifying deadline, he Broke his promise and decided to run. This is not about his right to run but his ability to tell the truth. A man’s word is his bond.
Oh- he committed to come to the candidate forum at Westport HS and did not show.
Is integrity an issue for Dan Webster? Does he have the energy to meet people in the district or is he too tired?
Is he just focusing on Orlando only?
That is shameful. This district is parts of Ocala, Lake, Osceola and Orange counties.
Dan- the people would like an answer please- not fluff.
The voters of this district deserve to hear the truth- not just campaigning on the ghosts of the past 28 years.
Dan didn’t show up again to another event. What’s up with this???
Well, Dan Webster said he care about this district. I don’t think he cares about ALL the district. He doesn’t show up for political events that require question/answers. Dan Webster needs to really care for the folks in this district and quit running for this office.