The founder and leader of a growing political club in The Villages says he’s paying close attention to two political races as they heat up across the Sunshine State.
In the race for governor, David Gee, founder of Trump for Villagers, said he’s noticed that Republican clubs in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown are backing GOP candidate Adam Putnam, Florida’s commissioner of agriculture.
“They have gotten to know him and work with him pretty well,” Gee said before a recent Villagers for Trump meeting featuring State Sen. Dennis Baxley and attorney general candidate state Rep. Frank White. “They like him, they trust him and they feel that he would make an excellent governor.”
But on the other side of the coin, Gee said, is Congressman Ron DeSantis – the candidate who has earned the support of President Trump in the contentious race.
“He’s part of the Freedom Caucus group up in Washington, and that group does a lot to protect our Constitution and they’re for conservative governors,” Gee said of DeSantis, who has identified himself as the Second Amendment candidate.
Gee said he met with his club’s leadership recently and asked who they believed the group should support. He said many felt that it only made sense to follow Trump’s lead and back DeSantis.
But Gee suggested to the group that it would be best to try to get both candidates to attend a Villagers for Trump meeting before making a final decision.
“Then maybe we would do a preference, straw-vote type thing to maybe say that our club supports one or other as opposed to a full endorsement,” Gee said.
Regardless of which candidate wins the Republican nomination in the Aug. 28 Primary Election, Gee said one thing has to happen.
“At the end of the day, it’s important for Republicans to come together to support that nominee,” he said. “We have to make sure that we are united and work hard to keep the state red.”
Five Democrats are vying for the opportunity to run against either DeSantis or Putnam. They are: Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, entrepreneur Chris King, former U.S. Representative Gwen Graham, former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and billionaire real estate developer Jeff Greene.
Another battle that has drawn the attention of both Republicans and Democrats alike in The Villages is the heated Florida Senate race between Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott. Not surprisingly, Villagers for Trump members also are watching the contest closely.
“I really don’t like career politicians,” Gee said of Nelson, who has served more than 45 years in public office. “I really wish we had term limits.”
While Gee admitted that some might say Scott is becoming a career politician because he’s served two terms as governor, he believes the business-minded former health care executive is the best choice for Florida.
“Right now, it looks like Gov. Scott is endorsed by everybody that is right-leaning,” Gee said. “Naturally, being the conservative-type thinker that I am, I’d like to see him get elected.”
