How many Dull Republican putative "leaders" are nasty noisome rebarbative retromingent repulsive racists in Flori-DUH?
Volusia County teenage Dull Republicans evidently have no class, no clue.
The affectations of martyrdom for being questioned make them sound like whiny Trumpery.
Pray for them.
From Daytona Beach News-Journal:
After excluding Black female candidate, Volusia teens 'shocked and appalled' at criticism
Mark Harper
The Volusia Teenage Republicans club is responding to criticism of its recent Volusia County Council at-large candidates' forum to which members invited three of the four contenders.
The three they invited: Doug Pettit, Jake Johansson and Andy Kelly are white males. They did not invite the fourth contender, Sherrise Boyd, a Black female.
After the debate, Johansson questioned the exclusion of Boyd, calling it "a little odd." He wrote a Facebook post headlined "Gross negligence or just plain old incompetence (or worse)?"
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Others responded with suggestions that the teens, also known as TARs, were being taught racism.
Boyd wrote in a Facebook post: "They knew I was a candidate and I was not invited, which was 100% intentional and morally disgusting. Future leaders already being ethically corrupted … inbred may be a better terminology."
The club is independent of the Volusia County Republican Executive Committee and its president, Brason Brower, is the son of Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower, while Brason's mother Terri is the club sponsor.
Jeff Brower has endorsed Pettit in the at-large race, but says he does not participate in the TARs meetings or decision-making.
Why they did what they did
In an email to The News-Journal, the TARs said they were facing "despicable" accusations, that they are a small club of preteens and teenagers gaining "an introduction to politics" and hoping to inspire others.
They explained their rationale for not inviting Boyd:
"As a club, we make decisions together and they are made based on our conservative values. The guests we invite to our meetings need to reflect at least some of the conservative values we believe in as a club.
"(Boyd) does NOT hold our values. We have had the opportunity to listen to her at prior events along with what she expresses on social media platforms and it was clear to us that she espouses a liberal agenda," the TARs wrote.
Although the County Council races do not list candidates' political parties on the ballot, Johansson and Pettit are Republicans, while Kelly and Boyd are Democrats.
The TARs noted that Pettit and Kelly were the two candidates who committed to not raising the sales tax, a pledge Johansson has refused to make.
They said Kelly was "appealing" because of his fiscal conservatism.
"Volusia County TARs is shocked and appalled by the allegations sparked by Mr. Johansson. To use children as political tools is repulsive," the TARs wrote. "Because of these comments, we are now getting attacked by his and Ms. Boyd’s surrogates and supporters unfairly."
Was Johansson lying about knowing who was invited?
One of Jeff Brower's criticisms of Johansson was that he lied about knowing who was invited to the debate.
Johansson participated in the debate without asking questions about why Boyd was excluded, only raising them after the fact in a Facebook post.
Terri Brower had sent Johansson a text stating invites were being made to Pettit, Kelly and himself. Johansson later said he had forgotten that message and that he stands corrected. But he also posted a message from Brason Brower dated May 12 inviting him to a debate with only Pettit's name mentioned.
Johansson said he assumes the TARs were aware of his previously reported position of refusing to promise no tax increase.
"I opine that they did their research and knew I was not a person to promise no tax hikes yet invited me, so why not Sherrise?" Johansson wrote in a message to The News-Journal.
"I am sorry the TARs were caught in a little bit of a conundrum at the event Sunday. I am sure with a little more communication and maybe an opening intro as well as some help advertising an event open to the public, it would have been received a little better," he said
Johansson also pledged to "no longer attend any events where everyone is not clearly invited," except for events hosted by his own Republican Party and for Republican voters only.
Johansson also pledged to "no longer attend any events where everyone is not clearly invited," except for events hosted by his own Republican Party and for Republican voters only.
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