There will be no debate in The Villages between Florida GOP gubernatorial hopefuls Ron DeSantis and Adam Putnam.
Apparently, DeSantis, a Congressman representing Florida’s 6th Congressional District along the Palm Coast, has a conflict and had notified The Villages Republican Club about a month ago that he wouldn’t be available for the July 18 debate against Putnam, the Sunshine State’s commissioner of agriculture.
But the Savannah Center had already been rented and tickets had been distributed before finding out DeSantis, who has been endorsed by President Trump, wasn’t available. So the event will feature Putnam, a favorite among many Villages Republicans, and State Rep. Frank White, who is hoping to succeed the term-limited Pam Bondi as attorney general.
White is no stranger to The Villages, having been here June 18 to speak at a Villagers for Trump meeting, where the Panhandle representative vowed that defending the Second Amendment will be atop his priority list.
“To me, it’s the amendment that assures all of the other rights,” he said, adding that he’s proud to have the highest rating from the NRA of all the candidates running for the seat.
White, who also is chief financial officer and general counsel for the Sansing Dealer Group, which has auto dealerships in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, said he is a huge believer in term limits for politicians.
“It allows you get to new blood, new folks in,” he said. “It clears all the dead wood – the people who become an institution, who are there for a job, a career and a life.”
White said when he saw that Bondi would be leaving office because of term limits, he knew he had to run.
“That’s where I want to make a difference,” he said. “As a lawyer, it’s the dream job. And for me, it is a chance to defend our Constitution and to stand up for the rule of law. It’s about healthy neighborhoods and a healthy economy.”
